Destiny's Calling
by InterestingIndeed
Summary: Destiny is not a path we can choose. We are not given a set of examples and decide which one we want. Destiny grabs you and pulls you around with little cares about what you want. It is relentless, wearing you down to the bone until you beg for mercy. The Clans are no exceptions and for four kits growing up in ThunderClan destiny is especially cruel. Reviews appreciated!
1. Allegiances

A few people were asking for this so I spent roughly a **_week_** month rereading my chapters to put this together. I will update this as the story goes on. Probably every 20 chapters or so I'll recreate and add to the list. I mainly did this for myself so I know which cat is which but if it comes in handy for you it's a bonus!

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**ThunderClan**

Leader: Winterstar- Large white fluffy she-cat, Oakleg's mate

Deputy: Stonepelt- large gray tom, Swiftpetal's mate

Medicine cat: Willowlight- white she-cat with soft brown spots

Warriors

Crestfall- Large tan tom

Mistysky- Red tabby she-cat with fierce brown eyes

Duckwing-Dark brown and black spotted tom

Heathertail- Gingery she-cat, newly made warrior

Cricketleg- White and brown tom Apprentice- Bluffpaw

Frogscroak- Large black tom, Blizzardpelt's mate, Apprentice- Redpaw

Pearlheart- Silvery she-cat, Crestfall's mate

Birchbranch-Dark brown tom

Leafgrove- crème colored tom

Owlleap- Dark gray large tom with powerful back legs and lean muscles

Bogflop- Small nimble novice warrior, Black tom with gray markings on his face and tail

Spottedtail- gray and brown spotted tom, Ferntail's mate.

Queens

Shellpelt- silvery tabby queen, Cricketpelt's mate

Swiftpetal- silvery gray queen, Stonepelt's mate

Blizzardpelt- White queen, Frogscroak's mate

Ferntail- Sleek black queen, Spottedtail's mate

Elders

Featherwish- Former medicine cat, retired early due to failing sight

Kits

Maplekit- Brown tabby she-cat

Riverkit- Red tabby tom

Whitekit- Pure fluffy white tom

Sunkit- Exciteable orange she-cat

Lemonkit- Brilliant tan she-cat

Blueberrykit- Blue-silver she-cat

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**RiverClan**

Leader

Violetstar- Fearsome white she-cat who smells of soft violets

Deputy

Kesteraltalon- large white tom with black speckles

Medicine cat- Littlestreak, small white tom with gray streaking markings on his belly

Warriors

Wilson- Large tan tom, former kittypet who chose to keep his kittypet name, Webber's brother, Violetstar's mate, Apprentice- Ripplepaw

Webber- large brown tom, former kittypet who chose to keep his kittypet name, Wilson's brother, Fawnheart's mate, Apprentice- Stonepaw

Swanfeather- Elegant snow white she-cat, Pelicanfeather's sister

Pelicanfeather- Elegant snow white tom, Swanfeather's brother

Berrylark- Sleek amber she-cat with brown markings on her paws, Tawnystreak's sister, Apprentice- Softpaw

Tawnystreak- Sleek brown she cat with amber markings, Berrylark's sister, Cloudtear's mate, Apprentice- Moonpaw

Cloudtear- Fluffy white tom with silver streaks that resemble tears, Tawnystreak's mate, Apprentice-Luckpaw

Yewbranch- Golden colored tom with a mangled front leg from a fox attack when he was an apprentice

Eagletalon- Strong black tom with a nervous disposition, Joyspeckle's mate

Queens

Joyspeckle- Beautiful calico she-cat, Eagletalon's mate

Fawnheart- Light brown she-cat, Webber's mate

Elders

Cardinalfur- rusty colored elderly tom

Kits

Silverkit- Silvery she-cat with dark gray markings

Scalekit- Soft gray tom with sleek fur

* * *

**Windclan**

Leader

Mothstar- Powerfully built brown tom with a surprisingly gentle personality, Rowanfrost's mate

Deputy

Rowanfrost- Slender and speedy calico she cat, Mothstar's mate,

Medicine Cat

Mintglow- Frosty white tom, Amberrose, Primrosestorm, and Poppybreath's brother

Warriors

Primrosestorm- Gentle and kind crème she-cat, Amberrose, Mintglow, and Poppybreath's sister, Ashheart's mate

Amberrose- White and black striped she-cat, Mintglow, Primrosestorm, and Poppybreath's sister, Scarlettail's mate

Scarlettail- Red tom, Hurley's brother, Amberrose's mate

Honeyclaw- Golden colored she-cat, Riversky's mate

Riversky- black tom, Honeyclaw's mate, Ashheart's brother

Ashheart- Ash colored tom with white feet and tail, Primrosestorm's mate, Riversky's brother

Qualehunt- Ginger tom, Poppybreath's mate

Juneheart- Brown she-cat, Auburnheart's sister

Auburnheart- Calico she-cat, Juneheart's sister

Queens

Poppybreath- Soft crème she-cat, Amberrose, Primrosestorm, and Mintglow's sister, Ashheart's mate

* * *

**ShadowClan**

Leader-

Treasurestar- Ferocious black she-cat, Witherfur's mate

Deputy

Rushbog- Grey and black tom with powerful muscles, Summertail's mate

Medicine Cat

Rabbitfang- Brown molted tom

Acrorntwig- Gentle tan she-cat, Apprentice: Droppaw

Crushwhisper- Caring but quirky light brown tabby she-cat, Apprentice: Drippaw

Warriors

Witherfur- Black and white tom with a muscular build, Treasurestar's mate

Wolfpack- Gentle gray and white tom, Birdcall's mate

Westheart- Shy golden she-cat, Northheart, Southheart, and Eastheart's sister, Apprentice- Sagepaw

Southheart- Bold fiery red she-cat, Westheart, Northheart, and Eastheart's sister Apprentice- Thornpaw

Eastheart- Gentle brown she-cat, Westheart, Northheart, and Southheart's sister, Apprentice: Weatherpaw

Northheart- Quiet white tom, Westheart, Southheart, and Eastheart's brother, Apprentice: Thumppaw

Troublewhisker- Mischievous and fun-loving dark gray tom, Rushfall's mate

Queens

Rushfall- Gorgeous calico she-cate, Troublewhisker's mate

Birdcall- Brown, black, white, and gray she-cat, Wolfpack's mate

Summertail- Ginger she-cat, Rushbog's mate

Elders

Fiendhunter- Deranged black tom

* * *

**Cats outside the clans**

Hurley- A black and gray barn cat who was abandoned by his twolegs along with his mother and littermates. His brother, Scarlet, and 2 sisters, Pearl and Swift, joined the clans while his mother, Spice, and other sister, Penny, remained with him at the farm.

Spice- a cinnamon colored she-cat, mother to Scarlet, Pearl, Swift, Hurley, and Penny. Lives in the barn with Hurley and Penny.

Penny- Copper colored she-cat who lives in the barn with her mother Spice and brother Hurley. Her littermates, Pearl, Scarlet, and Swift, joined the clans. Is secretly mates with Duckwing from ThunderClan


	2. Maplekit The Grumpy

_**Hey guys! This is just a little info on the is story. This actually started when I was writing my main piece The New Hero. After describing the characters of Mapleleaf, Riverheart, and Whitestar I just HAD to write this down. So without further ado I present Destiny's Calling!**_

_**Reviews are always appreciated! :D**_

_**-InterestingIndeed **  
_

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The fading greenleaf sunlight shone upon the camp. Few clouds impeded its final rays. A soft breeze brought the scents of leaffall into camp as a small dark brown kit with wild looking unkempt fur- most likely because she refused to wash herself or let her mother wash her- watched her prey carefully her tail swished in anticipation.

ThunderClan was thriving. Greenleaf had been kind to the clan. Prey ran remarkably well, well enough to feed the many mouths of every cat in the forest. It gave the clan an optimistic outlook for the up and coming leafbare.

Maplekit lowered herself into a hunter's crouch just like she'd seen the others do. She lined up her position with her prey. She stood perfectly still for a moment and then…

"I got you!" She yowled and landed on her sister Sunkit.

"Get off me!" Her sister yowled with glee trying to throw Maplekit off but Maplekit held fast. They went tumbling through the camp, a furry ball of brown and orange tumbling by warriors. The bundle crashed into their brothers Whitekit and Riverkit.

"Hey!" Riverkit meowed. "Watch where you're going!"

"Well it's your own fault for being in the way!" Argued Maplekit. "You should watch where you're going!"

"I wasn't the one rolling around everywhere!" Protested Riverkit.

"Aw come on!" Sunkit groaned. "You two always fight! Give it a rest."

"For once you guys could shut your mouths." Whitekit rolled his eyes.

"Whatever," Maplekit meowed. "You're still a jerk!" She spat at Riverkit.

"You're to jerk!" He retorted.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, what's going on?" A large tan tom stood over then. "Why are you two fighting?"  
"The question is when are they not fighting." Whitekit meowed exasperatedly. "You know that as well as we do Crestfall."  
Crestfall ignored him and continued on. "What's this about now?"

"Riverkit was in me and Sunkit's way!"

"Maplekit crashed into me and Whitekit!"

The pair yowled while simultaneously pointing their tails at each other accusingly. Crestfall looked confused then shook his head. "Why don't you go back to the nursery and play with the other kits? I know Lemonkit and Blueberrykit are going to be awfully lonely when you move into the apprentice's den."

"Yeah! Let's go!" Sunkit scampered down to the nursery as fast as her legs would carry her. Whitekit and Riverkit followed but Maplekit didn't want to go back into the nursery. She hated the nursery. It had been her prison for so long, just like the rest of this camp. She didn't give a darn what Lemonkit and Blueberrykit thought. She just wanted to be free. Unfortunately that wasn't an option. The Camp was pretty much kit proof. There was only one place to go to find some freedom: The medicine cat den.

"Do you need something?" Came Willowlight's friendly meow as Maplekit stalked in. She was hidden behind brambles, counting herbs.

"Freedom." Maplekit growled sullenly.

"You'll get that soon enough," Willowlight chuckled softly.

"Well I wish I would become an apprentice already." Maplekit complained. "I can't wait to become a apprentice. I know I'll be the best warrior ever!"

"I'll miss you stopping by my den though." Willow light meowed. She stepped out from behind the brambles. Willowlight was a large beautiful white cat with soft brown spots and soft amber eyes. "You're only 4 moons old. When you're an apprentice you'll wish you were a kit again. I most certainly did."

"I think I'll be too busy enjoying freedom to be thinking about that." Maplekit meowed.

"Willowlight! Willowlight!" Sunkit and Whitekit scrambled through the entrance to the den.

"Goodness!" Willowlight exclaimed as they nearly bowled her over. "What's going on?" She had to wait a few minutes for Whitekit and Sunkit to catch their breath.

"We went to go see Lemonkit and Blueberrykit," Sunkit puffed. "And then we-"

"Ferntail is kitting!" Whitekit exclaimed.

"She is?" Exclaimed Willowlight. "But it's far too early! She shouldn't be kitting for at least another half moon! Quick, Maplekit, fetch me borage and raspberry leaves. Meet me in the nursery." Willowlight ran for the nursery. Maplekit had been in here many times. She knew all the herbs from leaf shape to scent by name.

She quickly grabbed the leaves Willowlight requested. A quick sniff confirmed them as borage and raspberry. After wrapping them up carefully she headed for the nursery.

The nursery had been her prison for many moons now. She hated the nursery. It was dimly lit most of the time and always had a feint scent of milk. When she was barely a moon old some cat had the bright idea of hanging ferns up over the entrance to 'give the queens privacy'. Yeah right, more like make it harder for curious kits to escape unnoticed. Every time you exited the nursery the rustling of fern leaves was like one of those bells on a kittypet. It made sure everyone knew you were coming.

Willowlight stood over the sleek black she-cat. She was relieved to see Maplekit carrying the herbs as did Ferntail.

"Good job, Maplekit." She sighed. "Go join the other kits outside."  
"Do I have to?" She asked. When Vinecloud had kitted Lemonkit and Blueberrykit they'd been forced to go outside even though it was raining. What was so bad that made it impossible for kits to see? Maplekit was curious.

"Maplekit," Willowlight bit her lip. "It's just-"

Ferntail gave a loud wail.

"Maplekit, can you go grab Featherwish from the elder's den?" Willowlight asked her voice filled with urgency now. "She has more experience at this then I do."

Maplekit rushed to the Elder's den, rustling the ferns as she flew past.

She ran across the camp swerving to dodge her clan mates. She whizzed past Riverkit, Sunkit, and Whitekit.

"Where are you going?" Sunkit asked. Whitekit and Riverkit stared at her. Lemonkit and Blueberry stopped mid play wrestle to watch her.

"I have to go grab Featherwish!" She meowed quickly and continued on.

Featherwish was grooming her tail when Maplekit burst in nearly running into Cricketpelt, one of the senior warriors, and his apprentice Bluffpaw. Bluffpaw had been helping out the elders all week after he'd attacked his sister on purpose. Cricketpelt was showing him the right way to handle mouse bile which had been unfortunately spilled as Maplekit had whizzed past.

"Watch where you're going!" Bluffpaw yowled.

"Shut it Bluff." She snapped back and nearly gagged as the stench hit her nose. She paused in front of Featherwish, a gray and brown dilute tortoiseshell. She turned her head to the direction of the commotion.

"Sorry to bother you Featherwish," She puffed. The elderly medicine cat stared at her with kind, blank eyes. Featherwish had been forced to retire due to her failing eyesight. Featherwish used to be one of the best warriors of all the clans but decided to become a medicine cat. She was well known for her expertise on kitting, kits, and queens. So well known when there was a complication in another clan she often had to go help out. She once was an independent she-cat that Maplekit looked up to as a true mark of bravery and skill, but her eyesight made it so she had to have an escort with her no matter where she went or risk injuring herself or getting lost. Not that it didn't make her any less of a role model to Maplekit.

"What's the matter?" She asked kindly.

Maplekit had to take a few gulps of air before she could make a coherent sentence.

"Ferntail is kitting!" Maplekit huffed.

"What?" Bluffpaw yowled and spilled the mouse bile he was cleaning up.

"But she isn't supposed to kit for at least a half moon!" Featherwish exclaimed.

"Well she's kitting now!" Maplekit yowled.

"Bluffpaw," She ordered tersely. "Guide me to the nursery. Cricketpelt, go take Spottedtail for a hunting patrol, don't tell him anything."  
As Bluffpaw was guiding her out Maplekit asked. "What should I do?"

Featherwish turned her way. "You can go grab your siblings and clean up the mouse bile before I get back."

Maplekit couldn't believe it. That evil! That vile! That mangy old cat! Why should she clean up Bluffpaw's mess?

"You partially caused that mess," Featherwish reminded her and Maplekit could have sworn she heard Featherwish chuckle softly beneath her breath.


	3. Whitekit The Sensible

All four kits waited outside the nursery even though they were still slightly smelly from the mouse bile. Cats would occasionally gag as they walked past or yowl at them to clean themselves but they were too excited for that. Lemonkit and Blueberrykit played at the far end of the camp farthest away from them to avoid the smell. Whitekit was sure they were exaggerating though. They couldn't smell that bad, could they? Apparently they could because it wasn't long before Willowlight told Bluffpaw to take them out the garlic patch to remove the stench of mouse bile. Bluffpaw reluctantly led them to a patch of garlic near the entrance. He carried his tail over nose to avoid smelling them. Whitekit thought they were all blowing it out proportions. It was just a little bit of mouse bile!

"Yeah, a little bit of mouse bile that made me want to vomit!" Exclaimed Blueberrykit when they got back. "I swear I'll never get that scent out of my nose!"

"Why'd you have to go knock over that mouse bile Maplekit?" Riverkit whines as he scratched his side. Whitekit's wild sister gave Riverkit a look of pure hatred.  
"Not my fault the clumsy flea bag was in my way!" She snapped ferociously. Maplekit was the smallest of the litter. Whitekit remembered something about her being the runt of litter, what ever that meant. She certainly wasn't a runt now though. Despite being the smallest she was the most vicious and loudest out of all of them. Her dark brown pelt with it's stripes made her wild looking. The fact that she never let anyone else wash or groom her only aided to her unkempt untamed appearance. She looked more like a rouge and less like a clan cat.

"Shut it will you?" Sunkit rolled her eyes. "After that I seriously don't want to deal with another fight."

"Just like this morning when I was in your way?" Riverkit snapped back at Maplekit ignoring Sunkit. "If you'd been looking where you were going maybe we wouldn't have had to clean that up!"

"Maybe if Bluffpaw hadn't been so mouse brained he wouldn't have spilled it!" Maplekit retorted. "Just like you were this morning for not moving out of our way!"

"I bet you'll be cleaning up more mouse bile than any of us combined as an apprentice!" Riverkit challenged. "You're the one who always gets in trouble!"

"Yeah right!" Maplekit yowled. "If any one will be cleaning up mouse bile it will be you!"

"Uh-uh!"

"Yeah uh!"

"Argh!" Squealed Whitekit in frustration. "Both of you shut-up or I'll grab some sap and glue your mouths shut!" He stood over them hoping for an intimidating glare. Whitekit was easily the biggest kit. His size was intimidating for his litter mates but he wasn't sure about how well they'd believe his threat. For one there was no sap on the trees yet! And they all knew Maplekit and Riverkit were the fastest kits of the bunch, Whitekit was built for strength as his mother put it, not speed. But apparently this didn't cross either of their minds because they both shut-up. But that didn't prevent them from throwing nasty looks at one another.

For a moment every thing was silent. A kind of silence that's meant to test boundaries. A soft chilly breeze swept across camp as the two warring kits stared at each other malignantly.

"I can't wait until we're apprentices," Sunkit yawned as she stretched out in a ray of sunlight obviously trying to break the tense silence.

"Yeah then I won't have to deal with Riverkit!" Maplekit grumbled. "We'll be too busy training!"

"Yeah and I can squash you in battles!" Riverkit squealed back.

"Shut up!" Whitekit, Sunkit, Lemonkit, and Blueberry kit yowled at the same time.

"I can't wait to be an apprentice just to get away from your quarrels." Whitekit meowed exasperatedly.

"It won't be long now," Lemonkit reminded them. "You guys are only a quarter moon away from being five moons old." A golden leaf fell from one of the shedding trees. Lemonkit put herself directly beneath it span around 3 times and leaped up to try and catch the leaf in her mouth. Catch the Leaf was a game Maplekit had made up a few days ago after the first leaves of leaffall started falling. So far only Maplekit, Lemonkit, and Sunkit could catch the leaves.

"How does she do that?" Riverkit asked, studying Lemonkit as she landed gracefully with a mouth full of leaf.

"Catch leaves? Beats me it's impossible." Whitekit shrugged. He spotted a leaf falling above him. He span in dizzying circles, but when he tried to leap up he tripped over his own paws in his dizzied confusion.

"No not that." Riverkit meowed, still watching Lemonkit as she caught a second leaf. "How does she know we're going to be five moons old in a quarter moon?"

"I don't know," Whitekit meowed as he tried to bring himself to his paws. Everything was spinning in a dizzy haze and he ended up tripping on his own paws again. "She's pretty smart I guess."

Riverkit shrugged. Every cat knew about Lemonkit's unbeatable intelligence. Her phenomenal memory for things that seemed completely unnecessary was amazing.

"I bet I can catch more leaves than any cat!" Maplekit boasted as she spat out a red leaf.

"No way!" Sunkit protested. "I am the best!"

"Then let's have a competition!" Maplekit announced. "Whoever catches the most leaves wins! Starting now!"

Everyone started scrambling to catch as many leaves as possible. They turned circles and circles around and leaped to catch the colorful leaves. Gusts of wind snatched the leaves off the branches forcing them to make their descent to the ground and, if they were lucky, into their mouth.

The sun in the beginning of leafbare wasn't nearly as harsh as greenleaf. It no longer burned you back and made you sweat. It was cooler, gentle and soft cool breezes only made it better.

In the end it was proven that Maplekit was indeed the best leaf catcher with a proud count of thirty six leaves. Sunkit caught 34 leaves, Lemonkit caught 21. Riverkit, Blueberrykit, and Whitekit did catch a single one. The only thing they got from the activity was a dizzy world.

"Woah," Whitekit meowed as he stumbled about camp. "Is the world supposed to be spinning?"

"Not if you know how to turn." Maplekit meowed. "If you focus on one spot you won't get as dizzy." She rolled her eyes like this was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Doesn't matter right now," Riverkit meowed as stumbled over a rock in his drunken dizzy stupor. "The world is still spinning."

"Whatever." Maplekit turned to face the nursery. For a moment every thing was quiet again and then: "Guys! Look!" She started mewling loudly. They all turned their heads to see Featherwish, with the help of Bluffpaw exiting the nursery. Was Ferntail done kitting? Whitekit hoped so. She'd taken her sweet time!

"What are we waiting for!" Riverkit yowled and they all took off for the nursery.

All six kits stumbled through the fern hangings making them rustle loudly. Willowlight stood over Ferntail watching squirmy kits nurse hungrily for milk. They were so tiny. Whitekit didn't remember Lemonkit and Blueberrykit being nearly as tiny. Was everything okay?

As Willowlight heard them come in she gave them a glancing nod. "Six kits," Six kits! That was an awfully big litter. Most litters were three or four kits. Occasionally a litter of one or two and once every now and then a litter of five came along but six kits was almost unheard of!

"Boys?" Whitekit asked excitedly. He and Riverkit were the only boys in the nursery. It was boring hanging out with girls all the time.

"Or girls?" Sunkit asked excitedly. She swished her orange tail in anticipation.

"2 girls, four boys." Answered Hickorypelt, another queen who would be expecting soon. Her large round tummy was like a bigs balloon ready to burst. Hickorypelt went back to washing her leg but it wasn't gentle sort of washing, but quick anxious laps of the tongue. Something was most definitely wrong.

"Alright!" Riverkit exclaimed. "Can we take them outside? We can teach them Catch the Leaf!"

4 boys? And 2 girls? Whitekit did the math in his head. That would set the score equal: six girls, six boys.

"I'm afraid they won't be leaving the nursery for a long time." Willowlight meowed sadly. The nursery grew very quiet.

"How come?" Asked Lemonkit quietly.

Willowlight gave them a small sad smile but didn't answer.

"Why don't you all head back outside and give Ferntail and her kits a rest." Hickorypelt suggested. It was more of an order than a request.

"Yeah, let's go back and play a little more before Swiftpetal tells us we have to go in." Sunkit suggested after a brief awkward pause in conversation. Swiftpetal was Whitekit, Sunkit, Riverkit, and Maplekit's mother and was big on bedtime. Whitekit secretly thought that it was because when they went to sleep Swiftpetal didn't have to watch them all the time. Not that she did that a while lot now. Ever since they were three moons old Swiftpetal had seemed to judge them as old enough to watch themselves and often times she and Blizzardfur, another expecting queen, were off talking about mother hood and whatever queens talk about. She wasn't far away from them though. Every time things got really ugly between Maplekit and Riverkit she stepped in.

"Are you just going to stand there all day?" Maplekit's voice interrupted Whitekit's thoughts. He suddenly realized he was being left behind! He scrambled out after his friends to join them outside.


	4. Sunkit The Dreamer

Sunkit noticed that the others weren't catching leaves as vigorously as before. For some reason Catch the Leaf wasn't as amusing. Sunkit was pretty sure the reason was because every one was worried about Ferntail's kits. Seemed reasonable enough.

In the end Catch the Leaf turned into Sit Around. Dusk was fast approaching. Swiftpetal would soon also be approaching to herd them off to bed, but as soft orange appeared in the horizon and the sun began it's slow descent Swiftpetal was no where to be found. Odd, typically she came shortly before dusk. She put them to bed so early they'd never actually seen a sun set. Sunkit was getting excited! Her first time watching dusk! She'd never seen the sun rise either. Maybe tomorrow Swiftpetal would let her see that too!

"I've never seen anything so pretty," She murmured as she watched the sun make its descent. Lemonkit looked up from her grooming to see what Sunkit was talking about.

"You mean dusk? I guess it is pretty." She shrugged.  
"How can you just say that!" Sunkit gasped. That sun set was the most beautiful thing Sunkit had ever laid eyes on. Lemonkit just shrugged without even taking a second glance at Sunkit.

"Well at least we know Swiftpetal named us well," Whitekit meowed in her ear. In the orange glow of the setting sun his fur took on a soft tinge of orange. "You really do look like a setting sun with your orange pelt."

Sunkit thought about it. This was true. She did look like a setting sun! Now that she thought about it all of her littermates had names that matched up with their fur. Whitekit's fluffy white coat. Maplekit's wild pelt look like the bark of a maple tree. Riverkit's dark brown tabby stripes sort of resembled a rippling river.

"Looks aren't everything though," Whitekit meowed a soft twinkle in his eye. "If Swiftpetal could've seen our future's I bet she would've named Maplekit Nastykit and Riverkit Pushykit."  
Sunkit laughed so hard Lemonkit looked up from her grooming and asked: "What's going on?"

"Nothing," Sunkit managed through a fit of giggles. "Nothing that concerns you." Lemonkit shrugged and went back to her washing again.

"I wonder what Ferntail is going to name her kits." Whitekit wondered aloud. Sunkit thought about that too. Would Ferntail name her kits like Swiftpetal had named them? It was up to Ferntail really but Sunkit hoped she would. It would make remembering their names so much easier.

"You think she'll name 'em after what they look like?" Sunkit asked.

"Maybe," Whitekit murmured.

A quarter moon later Sunkit found herself sunning on a large rock, watching 6 hyper kits play Catch the Leaf with Lemonkit, Blueberrykit, Riverkit and Whitekit. Maplekit was helping Willowlight in the medicine cat's den. It was one of those final warm days before the bitter cold of leaffall was to take over for good.

Ferntail's kits had been little bundles of joy. They'd been born extremely early and after 3 sunrises under the watchful eyes of Willowlight had been declared healthy enough to go outside.

"Graykit!" Mewled a small tortiseshell she-cat at her gray brother. "I can catch way more leaves than you!"

"No you can't, Amberkit!" A white tom with black splashes over his pelt mewled back. "I can!"

"No way!" Amberkit protested. "You can barely catch one Splashkit!"

"I can catch way more than that!" Splashkit retorted. "I know I can catch more than you!"

"No way!"

"Yes way!"

"Well if you don't stop arguing I'll catch more than all of you combined!" Mewled one kit, Snowkit, a feisty white she-cat.

Sunkit purred in amusement. They were acting just like Maplekit and Riverkit. Amberkit and Splashkit were polar opposites. The way they thought and talked were completely different. They got into many arguments about just about everything.

"Can you believe we'll be warriors in a little less than a moon?" It was Maplekit. She padded up to Sunkit. Maplekit smelled of the herbs in the medicine cat's den.  
"Did you go visit Willowlight?" Sunkit asked even though she knew the answer.

"Yeah," Maplekit stretched. "Move over a little, you're hogging the sunshine." Sunkit shuffled a bit to the right to give her sister some room to sun.

"Anything interesting happen?" Sunkit asked.

"Nope," Maplekit yawned. "She had me sort herbs and asked if I wanted to be medicine cat."

"She did?" Sunkit yawned. She hoped that didn't sound disinterested. Sunkit had actually always been pretty interested by medicine cats and their work.

"Yeah," Maplekit rested her head in her paws and closed her eyes. "But I don't want to be a medicine cat. I like helping out Willowlight but I want to be a warrior."  
"Do you think you could tell her I'm interested?" Sunkit asked eagerly.

"No way!" Maplekit opened one eye to peer quizzically at Sunkit. "Go tell her yourself. She'll probably take more interest if you do it yourself."

"You think?" Sunkit asked. Would Willowlight really be more interested if Sunkit told her herself? The thought never occurred to Sunkit. Her curiosity in the art of healing cats had always been there, but unlike Maplekit, she never had the courage to go and help out Willowlight. Would Willowlight be willing to let her help now? Or was she too late?

'Well, yeah," Maplekit grumbled. "Or else I wouldn't have suggested it." Maplekit turned her head away from Sunkit as a sign that she was disinterested. Sunkit took the hint but was now unable to rest. The warn sun had lost its once appealing warmth. The day which would probably be one of the last warm ones was no longer something to be savored. An itchy tingle was surging through her compelling her. She knew what she had to do. Without another thought she rose to her paws and dashed to the medicine cat's den.


	5. Riverkit The Competitive

Riverkit teased a small ball of moss into a ball shape. He kept rolling it and rolling it over in his paws until finally he was satisfied with his creation. He eyed it carefully, trying to find any potential flaws. Then he backed up, slowly, until he was in position. Then he crouched down mimicking the position Crestfall taught him. Cold fall air rustled his fur. All was still.

Above him the clouds were dark and heavy with rain. The gentle warm clear weather of greenleaf was long gone to be replaced by the stormy cold of leaffall.

He leapt into the air, claws extended, ready to ensnare his prey.

"Gotcha!" He squealed with excitement as his claws sunk into the soft moss.

"Got what?" Asked Maplekit grumpily as she stalked up to Riverkit. "A ball moss? Pathetic." Maplekit had been extremely grumpy ever since Sunkit had started infringing on her helping out Willowlight a week ago.

"Oh come on," Whitekit rolled his eyes as he too began making a moss ball to practice his pouncing too.

"I bet you couldn't do it!" Riverkit snarled.

"I am better than you and you know it!" Maplekit jeered.

"Are not!"

"Are too!"

"Oh shut-up!" Whitekit complained. He stomped his paw on the ball of moss he'd been making, ruining it. "Maplekit, you've been nasty all week. If Sunkit helping out Willowlight bothers you that much go tell her and don't take out your grumpiness on us!"

Maplekit glared sullenly at Whitekit then stalked off to the nursery. Riverkit watched her go imagining his stare was throwing rocks at her.

Instead of the medicine cat's den Maplekit had taken to sulking in the nursery when ever she got upset. Riverkit was positive it was because she didn't want to face Sunkit and Willowlight.

"Whitekit?" Amberkit called. "Can you help me make another ball? Graykit ruined mine."

"I did not!" Graykit protested. "You're the one who stepped on it!"  
"Well you're the one who jumped on me!"

Whitekit blinked very slowly. "If it's not one it's the other," He muttered.

"Oh stop complaining about it," Riverkit snapped at him. "I would switch litters in a heart beat if I could!"

Whitekit looked offended. He opened his mouth to speak but was interrupted by a commotion near the camp entrance.

"Someone go get Willowlight!" A panicked yowl rose. All the kits raced toward the enterance, hoping to get a look at what had happened. Dawn patrol should be returning. Was it them? Did they get attacked? Riverkit squeezed in between legs from the swarm of cats now surrounding the entrance.

"I'll go grab Willowlight!"

"What happened?"

"Someone should go tell Winterstar!"

"Did a fox attack you?"

"I bet it was WindClan! When I get my claws on them-"

Riverkit finally got a clear view of the situation. The four cats who had gone on Dawn patrol had returned, bloody and mauled. Crestfall was among them. He leaned on Duckwing for support his back leg scratched to shreds.

"We were on the border," Crestfall managed. "And a WindClan patrol ambushed us. There were six of them." Duckwing nodded in agreement. He was by far the least injured. From what Riverkit could see he had a few bleeding scratches on his face but not much more. The other two were passed out, probably from blood loss. They had huge gashes all over their bodies.  
"Duckwing, I'll support him," A sleek gray cat stepped forward. It was Pearlheart, Crestfall's mate. Duckwing looked gratefull as he shifted Crestfall's weight onto Pearlheart.

"Make way!" A second cat broke through the crowd. Willowlight pushed her way towards the entrance a orange kit followed close behind. She assessed the situation. "Sunkit , go grab Winterstar." Sunkit scurried off to the leader's den. "Duckwing, head over to my den. Pearlheart take Crestfall to my den, Heathertail and Birchbranch, take Mistysky and Leafgrove to my den." Willowlight barked orders in a calm but authoritative tone. Winterstar padded up with Sunkit close behind.

"What is going on here?" The beautiful white fluffy she-cat asked alarmed by the sight of 4 of her best warriors in a bloody heap.

"They were ambushed on dawn patrol, come up to my den and we'll get some answers." Willowlight explained tersely. "Sunkit," She turned to the orange kit. "You and your denmates need to go back to the nursery, it's about to rain."

Plip, plop,

Just as she said the clouds releasd their heavenly load and it began to rain. For a few seconds it was only rain, then it turned into thunder and hail. The hard lumps of ice tumbled to the ground hitting everything in its path with the hardness of rocks. Every cat scurried for shelter and the mass of kits rain for the nursery.

The hail continued to fall in camp as the queens chatted amongst themselves and the kits sat bored in their prison. Ferntail's kits tried to wrestle for a while but got bored. Maplekit was sulking and wouldn't talk to any cat and Sunkit was chattering nonstop about her experiences with Willowlight.

"And I didn't even know how hard it was to remember all the different herbs and their uses." Sunkit went on. "It was easy once I caught on but being a medicine cat must be hard."

Riverkit glanced at Maplekit. She was facing away from them but even Riverkit could tell she was angry at Sunkit. Riverkit was starting to get annoyed too but Maplekit had a better reason. Sunkit had practically taken over her job and was now bragging. Riverkit would be upset too if he was Maplekit. Riverkit realized that this was probably the only time he'd ever felt sorry for his sister.

"Sunkit," He found himself saying. "Would you mind giving it a rest?" Maplekit didn't move.

"Fine, I'll go talk to Maplekit about it then," Sunkit stood up and shook the reminantes of rain from her pelt. "I bet she would want to hear about it."

"Er," Riverkit figured that Maplekit probably wouldn't want to hear about it. "I think she's asleep right now."

"Oh," Sunkit shrugged. "I guess I'll tell her later." And she padded over to Whitekit.

Riverkit glanced over to Maplekit who flickered her tail once. Riverkit took that flick as good as a thank you he would ever receive.


	6. A Decision!

The hail continued to fall most of the day and well into the night. It wasn't until dawn that it had turned into a soft drizzle. Stepping out that morning it was clear to Maplekit that any remaining shreds of greenleaf had been swept away by the rain and leaffall was officially upon them. She was right.

As the days went by the air got progressively colder and colder and the days grew shorter and shorter. Maplekit shivered one morning as she exited the nursery and realized the ground and nearby shrubs were covered in a soft damp frost. Her paws were freezing from a combination of the cold and the wetness and her nose grew numb. She knew dawn patrol had left already, they had been complaining about the cold air.

Maplekit had been the first kit up that morning and besides a few of the warriors milling about camp she was the only cat up. She spotted Duckwing head into the medicine cat's den. It had been 3 days since the attack and 9 days since she'd last visited Willowlight. She decided that she should visit Willowlight before Sunkit got up. That way she would be able to tell Willowlight why she'd been absent.

She padded up to the den, cursing her frozen feet and fur all the way. Why did that Dawn Patrol have to chatter so loudly? Couldn't they had waited until it was warmer out to wake up Maplekit? And further more why did it have to get so cold out? The journey up to the den froze Maplekit right down to the bone and it wasn't until she reached the den that her nose and paws defrosted.

Compared to the air outside stepping into the medicine cat's den was like stepping back into greenleaf. Maplekit breathed a sigh of relief. She searched the den for Willowlight and spotted her, checking over Duckwing.

"I'd say you're healing up nicely," Willowlight commented. "Remember to come straight back if the cuts start to open again," Duckwing nodded but looked relieved. He hadn't left camp since the attack. He blinked acknowledging Maplekit on his way out but didn't make her presence known. Good, she wanted to talk to Willowlight first.

"G'morning Willowlight," She managed through a wave a guilt about her previous week. Why hadn't she come to Willowlight before?

Willowlight, who'd been organizing her herbs, looked up in surprise and dropped the tansy she'd been sorting.

"Maplekit!" She meowed in amusement. "I'm glad to see you've finally come up to see me."

"Sorry I didn't come earlier," Maplekit apologized awkwardly. "Here let me help you with that," She started to help Willowlight sort her herbs again.

"It's alright," Willowlight answered softly, "I did the same thing at first," Maplekit continued sorting out the pile of herbs in silence. Tansy, Borage, Raspberry, Marigold, they all looked alike. Maplekit had to rely on her sense of smell to determine which leaf was which.

"I was unsure whether or not I should become a medicine cat," Willowlight continued. "I avoided my calling at first. I tried to suppress my feelings that I belonged in this den and not out in the woods. Eventually I accepted my destiny."

Maplekit was so shocked she dropped the marigold. So that what she thought it was about. She thought that Maplekit had been trying to avoid her own destiny? No, she knew she belonged in the forest. She just enjoyed the job but she never had thought of it as a calling. She'd much rather be out there serving her clan through her talent at fighting and hunting.

"Uh," She stammered. How was she going to break this to Willowlight. "About that,"

"Have you decided?" Willowlight asked eagerly. She had abandoned her sorting job stared expectantly at Maplekit.

"Yes, I mean, no, I mean," Maplekit stammered. "I don't know what I mean,"

Willowlight's tail drooped a little then she perked up suddenly. "You know, you could always do both."

"What?" Be both medicine cat and warrior? Like that made sense!

"I sort of did it," Willowlight shifted her paws. "I would spend a lot of my time up in the medicine cat den when I was given the choice until I finally made the decision."

"I guess," Maplekit mumbled. If Willowlight thought that was why Maplekit had been avoiding her so bet it. It was better than the truth. Maplekit had no idea what she was going to say to Willowlight anyway. 'The reason I've been avoiding you is because I didn't like the idea of my sister infringing on my hobby because I don't want her to be better than me.' That made her sound like a complete brat of a kit and Maplekit knew that any other wording wouldn't make it any better. It was easier to let her believe one falsehood than the whole truth.

"I knew you'd say yes," Willowlight rubbed her head against Maplekit affectionately and purring loudly nearly knocking the smaller kit over.

"Hey!" Maplekit mewled in protest. "You're going to squash me!"

Willowlight chuckled. "I'm sorry, I am glad to see you're no longer sulking that's all."

"Are we interrupting anything?" A cat inquired as she poked her grey head in. It was Pearlheart.

"No," Willowlight assured her. "Go ahead and bring in Crestfall."

Pearlheart's head disappeared and then she reappeared with Crestfall leaning on her. His back left leg swathed in a thick wrap of cobwebs and lifted up so not to put weight on the offended appendage. He looked disheveled and weary like he'd aged three years instead of three days.

"Good morning Pearlheart, Crestfall," She greeted them.

"Good morning," Pearlheart purred smoothly. Crestfall did not react.

"Let's take a look at that leg," Willowlight meowed swishing her tail. Pearlheart lead Crestfall over to the moss nests. He lay down gingerly with his back leg sticking out so Willowlight could examine it. Maplekit scurried up to get a good look at how Willowlight worked.

Maplekit, even though she was allowed to help Willowlight sort herbs and a few other simple tasks, was not allowed to help treat cats. She was only allowed to watch Willowlight work. Maplekit used to beg Willowlight to let her help out but the excuse was the same. 'You're too little.' That sentence was designed to appease kits until they became apprentices, but it never appeased Maplekit. She knew more about the herbs than most cats her age! Why couldn't she utilize her skills?

Willowlight gingerly began unwrapping the cobwebs around Crestfall's leg. Slowly she peeled back the layers to reveal the injury. She looked carefully examining it like she could see through the skin to the bone.

"Can I go back to my warrior duties?" Crestfall asked, a small spark of hope reflected in his amber eyes.

"Well," Willowlight looked uncomfortable as if trying to find the best way to say something. "The injury isn't healing like it should,"

"Oh," The spark died almost as instantly as it had flared.

"Maplekit, can you go see if Winterstar would mind coming down here?" Willowlight asked Maplekit.

Maplekit didn't want to leave. She wanted to stay and observe the process and it was far too cold outside! But she moaned in mock agony and padded outside.


	7. Sisters

Sunkit woke up to the cold winds blowing through the nursery ferns. She shivered and curled up into a tighter ball next to Maplekit, only to discover Maplekit wasn't there. She opened her eyes blearily. Whitekit and Riverkit were still here, and so was Swiftpetal. The other nursery queens and their kits remained as well, so where was Maplekit? Sunkit stood up and decided to go look for herself.

She stepped outside and was greeted by a blast of cold, leaffall air. She shuddered violently. It was hard to imagine Maplekit it out here. She hated both extreme hot and extreme cold. She probably wouldn't have come out if her life depended on it, but obviously she was out of the nursery now. There was only one place that could call Maplekit out of hiding, the medicine cat den. Sunkit's fur bristled with anticipation and cold as she padded up to the den.

"Willowlight," Sunkit called into the den, "Willowlight have you seen Maplekit?"

No answering call, just hushed whispers. She was going to have to be louder to be heard apparently, but it sounded like Willowlight was helping out a patient. Sunkit didn't want to surprise Willowlight so she called a bit louder this time.

"Willowlight?"

This time the whispers stopped. Sunkit heard a few paw steps then found herself nose to nose with Willowlight.

"Good morning Sunkit," She greeted Sunkit cheerily. "What can I do for you?"

"Have you seen Maplekit?" Sunkit asked.

Willowlight's ears twitched. "Yes, I have, Maplekit is helping out me today. She just went to fetch Winterstar."

"Went?" Came a gruff meow. "Here I am," It was Maplekit with Winterstar in toe.

"Thank you, Maplekit," Willowlight bowed her head in thanks. "You should go with Sunkit and enjoy the last few days you have as kits together."

Maplekit seemed to try and protest but Willowlight would have none of it. "Maplekit, go and think about what I said." And with that Willowlight turned to Winterstar. "Greetings, Winterstar."

Winterstar flicked her tail in greeting. "Willowlight," She meowed. "Lets see what this is all about."

The pair turned to leave leaving Sunkit and Maplekit outside alone.

"No fair," Sunkit grumbled. "I wanted to help out Willowlight!"  
Maplekit just gave her a sour look. "And you weren't the only one," She sniffed and padded on ahead of her.

"Oh don't be like that Maplekit," Sunkit padded up to catch up to her sister. Sunkit knew how disappointed Maplekit got when she couldn't see Willowlight, but she was being a bit dramatic.

Maplekit turned on Sunkit and snarled. "No, I will be like that," Sunkit back up a little bit. She was frightened. She'd never seen this side of Maplekit before.

"I'm sorry," She managed in a quiet whisper. Maplekit lowered her tail.

"I'm sorry," She apologized. "I shouldn't have snapped like that," She wrapped her tail around her paws sheepishly.

Sunkit was relieved to see that Maplekit was back to her old self. "It's okay," She assured Maplekit.

An awkward silence fell over them. For a moment they just sat there as a the cold air wrapped around them. Sunkit replayed the events of the last few moments in her head. What would make Maplekit snap like that? She'd been forced out of the medicine cat's den many times and while, yes, she was disappointed, she had never snapped at Sunkit or any cat before.

Maplekit had been acting awfully emotional lately, Sunkit realized. She'd been sulking. Well, Maplekit always sulked but more than usual the past few days. She would barely look at other cats, let alone speak to them. Something was definitely-

"Lets go play catch the leaf," Maplekit suggested, interrupting Sunkit's thoughts. Maplekit pointed her brown tail to the tree line. The trees still hand plenty of leaves that had yet to fall. After all, leaffall had only just begun. "Plus it would be a good way to warm up," Maplekit suggested. At the very idea of being warm Sunkit completely forgot about her troubles.

"Sounds like fun to me!" Sunkit mewled excitedly. "Last one to the trees is crowfood! 123 go!"

Sunkit dashed ahead.

"Hey!" Maplekit yowled, "Not fair!" She rushed after her sister to the trees.

Sunkit knew it was pointless to even try racing Maplekit. Maplekit and Riverkit with the fastest of the litter and could beat just about every cat there was out there but it was always fun to feel the rush of adrenaline through her fur and hear her heart pounding in her ears even as Maplekit passed her.

"Guess who's crowfood now?" Maplekit teased Sunkit sticking out her pink tongue. Sunkit didn't care.

"Oh yeah?" She taunted. "I'll turn you into crowfood when I catch more leaves than you do!"

"No way!" Maplekit laughed. "Every one knows I'm the best at this! I made it up after all!"  
"Just because you made it up doesn't mean you're the best!" Sunkit squealed.

"Well instead of just standing here freezing our pelts off lets find out who is the best."

A hard breeze blew cold air through the camp and shook the leaves violently from their perch on the branches of the trees starting them on their journey down to earth. To Maplekit and Sunkit this was the signal to begin their competition. Soon the air was filled the sounds of leaping and meowing kits snatching leaves out of the air.

The fun was apparently infectious. A few warriors stopped with their daily duties to learn the game. None of them were very good at it. A few cats caught on faster than most but some never caught on. When The other kits got up they joined the game too. Sunkit even saw Swiftpetal leaping up. Winterstar, who was supposed to be checking on the patrols even participated.

It wasn't until Willowlight, on her way to check on Ferntail's kits, reminded them they had jobs to do before sundown that the game stopped. Maplekit won with 48 leaves to Sunkit's 32. Sunkit knew Maplekit would never let her forget it but it was worth it to enjoy one of the last care free days they had left.


	8. 22 Sunrises

"Hey Lemonkit," Whitekit asked the small tan kit. Lemonkit looked up inquisitively. The sunlight glinted off her fur making it gleam. It would have been cute if it wasn't for the fact that she was halfway through washing her back leg which was sticking up into the air as she bent in an awkward position to reach it. Her tongue was still poised on the leg actually. Whitekit had to control himself from laughing. "How many moons until we're made apprentices?" He asked her.

"Don't use moons anymore," She rolled her blue eyes in mock exasperation. "Use sunrises and for your information it'll be 22 sunrises until you four are apprenticed." Then she went back to washing her leg.

"Did you hear that?" Sunkit swished her tail excitedly and hopped from paw to paw. "Only 22 more sunrises until I become a medicine cat apprentice!"

"And only 22 more until I can start on my journey to be clan leader!" Maplekit squealed.

"No way!" Riverkit rolled his eyes. "If anyone is going to be leader it's me and you now it!"

"Nuh-uh!"

"Yeah huh!"

"Just shut-up already!" Yowled Blueberrykit and Lemonkit in synch.

"And only 22 more sunrises until I get away from all of you." Grumbled Whitekit.

"Don't think we don't find you annoying too!" Riverkit protested.

Whitekit turned on him. "Do you know?" He hissed. He displayed his set of white fangs and raised his fur so he appeared larger than he actually was. Whitekit was trying to scare Riverkit and it seemed to work. He backed off and gulped loudly.

Maplekit, who'd been smart enough not to make her voice heard, narrowed her bright piercing blue eyes at Whitekit. She knew he could never actually attack any of them. He was too kind and she knew it.

"Whatever," Sunkit broke the silence. "Lets go-"

"Amberkit! Graykit! Splashkit!" It was Ferntail. She was standing outside the nursery, calling for her kits. "Snowkit! Windkit! Sparrowkit!" She yowled into the camp. She looked around and spotted Maplekit, Riverkit, Whitekit, Sunkit, Lemonkit, and Blueberrykit and padded over to them. "Have you guys seen my kits?" She asked them frantically. "They just ran off somewhere and I don't want them to get into trouble again!" Ferntail's kits had proven themselves as being the biggest trouble makers ever and with six kits there was certainly enough mayhem to go around.

Sunkit shook her head. "I'm sorry, Ferntail," She told the frantic queen. "We haven't seen them."

The sleek queen sighed. "I'll go ask every cat to keep an eye out for them." She turned and headed for the fresh-kill pile where most of the warriors were gathered for a sun-high meal.

"We'll tell you if we find them!" Lemonkit called after the black queen as she padded away.

"I hope they don't get into the medicine cats den," Maplekit commented. "I spent all of this morning before you all got up sorting the herbs."  
Whitekit was glad Maplekit was back to helping out Willowlight. She wasn't as mean and over the past few days. She'd started helping out Willowlight a few days ago in the morning before Sunkit got up. She only stayed until Sunkit got there but now that she was helping out again her mood had taken a turn for the better.

"I hope so too," Sunkit sighed. "I was only in there a few minutes before Willowlight told me she had to go see to Blizzardfur."

They all glanced over to the nursery. Blizzardfur had started kitting earlier and Willowlight hadn't left the nursery since and Blizzardfur's mate, Crowpelt, hadn't stopped pacing outside. He'd probably create a groove out front of the nursery from all that pacing.

"I hope there'll be lots of boy kits." Riverkit commented as he began to wash his tail. "There are too many girls here for me."

"Please," Maplekit scoffed, rolling her eyes. "You boys cause too much trouble! Ferntail's kits prove that on their own."

"I seem to remember it was Amberkit who got into the elder's den." Riverkit retorted.

"On a dare from Sparrowkit!" Maplekit snapped.

"Don't even start." Whitekit warned them in a low growl. Riverkit and Maplekit fell silent beneath Whitekit. But even Whitekit couldn't stop them from throwing hostile glares at each other.

Whitekit sighed. He knew that no matter what he did those two would always fight. Might as well enjoy the peace while it lasted.

"Do you guys want to play Catch The-" Sunkit tried nervously to suggest but was cut off by Riverkit.

"I don't want to play catch the leaf," He meowed. "I want to play something else."

"Like?" Sunkit asked.

"Attack the girls!" Riverkit yowled as he turned and pounced on Maplekit, who squealed with a mix of delight and annoyance. The pair tussled on the ground for a while until Maplekit pinned him down and sat on him.

"Give up?" She yowled, squashing her butt on his face.

"Yes." He grunted, trying desperately to escape Maplekit's behind. Maplekit had a look of pure satisfaction on her face. She was enjoying this.

"I can't hear you!" She sang in a taunting sort of way. "You're going to have say it louder!"

"Yes!" He grunted again.

"I still can't hear you." She meowed.

"Yes! Yes!" He squealed. "I give up! I give up!" His squeals were loud enough to be heard through out the camp. Several warriors looked their way to see what the problem was.

Maplekit, looking satisfied that she had tortured her victim enough got off of Riverkit. Riverkit started panting.

"For the runt of the litter you sure are heavy!" He choked out.

"Well maybe because I am not the runt any more!" She spat out at him with her nose almost touching his.

"Yeah, I know first hand." Riverkit hissed. "Lay off the mice, will you?"

"Are you calling me fat?" She fumed.

"That's exactly what I was saying." Riverkit cooed, cool as a, well, river. "And while you're at it you should exercise more. If you're pudgy you can't be a warrior."

That was it. Maplekit snarled. She leapt, soaring through the air in a beautiful yet terrifying arc. She landed on her prey with perfect precision and began attacking her victim.

With every other fight Maplekit and Riverkit had always kept their claws sheathed. They were never actually going to hurt each other. Plus it was sort of a rule that you weren't supposed to attack a clanmate. Wrestling? That was fine. No one honestly cared if you wrestled but once the claws went out, you were asking for a major brawl. And Maplekit's claws gleamed in the sunlight like sharp thorns.

Riverkit let out a loud scream as she sank her claws into his rump. He scratched in vain at her face. Maplekit knew what she was doing because she immediately let go of his flank and jumped back. Enraged, Riverkit leapt for her but she side stepped and tackled him, pinning him to the ground and raising her claws into a position right above his neck leaving her side open. This was Whitekit's chance. He leapt for her, colliding with her side and knocking her off of Riverkit.

"What the heck were you thinking?" He asked Maplekit as she got up and shook off the dirt she had landed in. "You could get us in serious trouble! If one of the warriors had seen you you would be-"

"What in Starclan is going on here?" Winterstar interrupted Whitekit with a look of pure anger on her face.


	9. Apprenticeship Denied!

Winterstar was big, white, and fairly intimidating all on her own, but now? She looked fit to kill.

"Riverkit, Maplekit," She growled warningly. Maplekit's tail fell. "I want to see you in my den, now." Then she turned to one of the apprentices who had watched the battle and was still staring in disbelief.

"Bluffpaw, go find Swiftpetal and Stonepelt and tell them to meet me in my den." Winterstar ordered.

"Uh," He stammered still in disbelief over the day's events. "Okay I guess." He mumbled and scampered off in search of the two requested cats.

And with that she stalked up to her den. Riverkit and Maplekit looked at each other before following their leader. They had really done it now. What would Swiftpetal say? Probably scold them endlessly. What would Winterstar do? Would she punish them? How? They were still kits!

The coldness of the day started piercing Riverkit's skin like sharp thorns. The sun had been hidden by clouds so there was no warmth to be found.

As they padded into Winterstar's den Winterstar sat on her moss nest and turned to face them.

"Sit," She ordered. They sat down right where they were. "I am sure you know why you're here," She began, eyeing Riverkit and Maplekit. "I want to know why you attacked your brother like that,"

Maplekit blinked.

"Well?" Winterstar pressed. "I am waiting,"

Maplekit gulped. "Well, he was, uh," She stammered. "H-he was teasing me. He s-s-said I was too pudgy to b-be a warrior." Riverkit was unsure as to whether the stammering was from her sobbing or from fear. Was she faking?

Winterstar looked at Riverkit. "Do you deny this?" She asked Riverkit, startling him.

"W-what?" Now it was his turn to stammer.

"Do you, or do you not, deny this?" She asked impatiently, swishing her tail dangerously.

Riverkit glanced at Maplekit who was staring down at her paws. "Yes I did," He admitted in a squeaky voice. He didn't add 'But I only did it because she was teasing me!' Something told him Winterstar wouldn't take too kindly to that.

"I admire your honesty." Winterstar meowed graciously. "We don't have many cats who would admit that they did something wrong. Nevertheless I cannot condone such actions-"

"Cone what now?" Riverkit asked. What did condone mean?

"Condone," Winterstar sighed, "It means to let slide or to let you get away with."

"Oh," Riverkit meowed.

"I cannot condone such behavior-"

"Winterstar!" A cat meowed. It was Bluffpaw with Swiftpetal and Stonepelt in toe. It was obvious from the looks of anxiety on their faces that Bluffpaw hadn't told them what happened.

"Winterstar," Stonepelt meowed. "You wanted to see us."

"Yes," Winterstar meowed. "Thank you Bluffpaw, you can go. Swiftpetal, Stonepelt, you two can stay here." Bluffpaw nodded and scampered off.

"What's this all about?" Swiftpetal asked as she padded a few tentative steps.

"Your kits," Winterstar motioned toward Riverkit and Maplekit.

Swiftpetal and Stonepelt looked like they'd only just noticed them there. Stonepelt let out an exasperated sigh and rolled his eyes.

"Let's get this over with," Swiftpetal meowed and sat down.

Riverkit and Maplekit wore nervous smiles.

"Glad to see you mom," Maplekit meowed nervously glancing from cat to cat. "And you too, dad." Her voice faltered off.

"What did they do this time." Stonepelt ignored Maplekit and addressed Winterstar.

"They attack each other." She meowed gravely.

"They do that all the time," Swiftpetal muttered. "No surprise there. Did they knock over en elder or something like that?"

Winterstar suppressed a laughed. "No, they knock down an elder in a wrestling match." Her face turned serious. "But the did fight. They fought one another using claws and fangs. In other words, they attacked their clan mate."

Swiftpetal and Stonepelt swiveled their heads to look at their kits. Swiftpetal's eye's narrowed to slits.

"They what?" She asked dangerously.

"Attacked each other," Winterstar repeated swishing her white fluffy tail. "And now, I have to give them their punishment."

"It better be a good one," Stonepelt growled.

Riverkit and Maplekit exchanged nervous glances.

"I have decided to delay their apprenticeships," Winterstar meowed. "By a half moon."

"WHAT?!" Squealed Maplekit and Riverkit.

"You can't do that!" Riverkit protested. "You have to make kits apprentices when they turn six moons old! It says so in the warrior code!"

"And do you think the warrior code hasn't been broken or bent before? Countless cats have had their apprenticeships delayed! Therefore, yes, I can delay your apprenticeship," Growled Winterstar. "Ask Bluffpaw and Redpaw. I delayed theirs by an entire moon."

"But-" Riverkit tried but Maplekit flung her tail to cover his mouth.

"She is trying to tell us to be glad it isn't a full moon," She hissed in his ear. "Idiot!"

"I will make you apprentices," Winterstar meowed.

"Wait, what?" Stonepelt shook his head in confusion. "You just told them they won't-"

"They will receive their names, but they will remain in camp until one half moon is up." Winterstar continued on ignoring Stonepelt. "Therefore you won't be doing any real warrior duties, just chores. You won't truly be an apprentice in the true sense of the word."  
"So we won't be out of camp?" Riverkit asked. "I've been looking forward to getting out of here for ages!"

"You're not the only one," Maplekit added, then fell silent when she saw the look on Swiftpetal's face.

"Swiftpetal, Stonepelt," Winterstar turned her attention to the other two cats. "Do you agree this is a suitable punishment?"

Stonepelt nodded.

"A fitting punishment," Swiftpetal agreed.

"Then you-" She began but was interrupted by Redpaw.

"WINTERSATR!" The apprentice wailed. "Winterstar! I- oh," His voice faltered when he saw the others.

"What now?" Winterstar asked exasperatedly, stomping her paw in frustration. Redpaw let out a little squeak of fear.

"Um, Blizzardfur has finished kitting and Willowlight wants to see you in her den, when you're done, of course." He meowed.

"Thank you Redpaw, you can go," Winterstar told the red tabby. He made a small whimpering sound and left the den. Winterstar turned back to Riverkit. "You four may go and think about why you're being punished. And remember, if I ever see this again you can kiss becoming a warrior good-bye."

Riverkit gulped, nodded, and got up and followed his parents and sister outside. He would never forget Winterstar's warning.


	10. Monsters!

Maplekit glared narrow eyed at a rock. It's gray, hard, smooth surface gleamed in the light of the setting sun. She continued to stare at it. She had no real reason to stare at it. The rock wasn't about to speak to her or do anything really, after all, it was a rock, but staring at it made the day all the more bearable.

"Come on, Maplekit!" Sunkit called to her. "Stop sulking and come join us!"

Maplekit eyed the group of kits, playing the last few hours of the day, and for Whitekit, Riverkit, Sunkit, and Maplekit, their last moments as kits. Tonight they'd sleep in the apprentices den and receive their names. The day had finally arrived.

Maplekit would have normally been ecstatic. Finally she was free of the nursery! But because of one fight, she was stuck in camp for half a moon. Winterstar might as well have trapped them in the camp forever. Maplekit would've enjoyed sulking for a while more but her sister's urgent and persistent calls forced her to go join the group.

"There you are!" Amberkit squealed and leapt for Maplekit. Maplekit dodged the kit with ease. There were so many kits in the nursery that now it seemed that as one litter graduated to apprentices, two more litters were there to take their place and each causing more trouble than the last.

"Starkit," Whitekit warned the small kit as she wobbled away from the group. The small white kit paid Whitekit no attention. "Kits," He sighed and got up. He padded over to Starkit, picked her up by the scruff and plopped her back in the group.

"I was just going to go exploring," Starkit protested.

"7 day old kits shouldn't be going exploring," Sunkit told Starkit with a little air of 'I know much more than you do' in her voice.

Besides Blizzardfur, another queen had given birth to a litter, Shellpelt had given birth to 3 kits, all girls, much to Riverkit's disappointment, all healthy and trouble makers. They were only a few suns old and they had already gotten into more trouble than Ferntail's litter had in an entire moon! Starkit was definitely the leader of this little pack. She was the one who lead them into trouble. Like the time they'd gotten into the warrior's den and pretended to be warriors and attacked the cats who entered. They'd left some nasty scratches on Mistysky's pelt.

"I want to go exploring too!" Olivekit piped up. Olivekit was a tawny tabby kit with brown eyes. She wasn't nearly as confident as Starkit. She was more of a follower than a leader always seconding Starkit's opinions and ideas.

"Me too!" Breezekit agreed. Breezekit was a red tabby, just like Redpaw. Even though Redpaw and Breezepelt weren't related, they looked almost identical. Breezekit had more confidence than both Starkit and Olivekit combined, but she never really suggested any other ideas or contradicted Starkit. Maplekit wasn't sure if she didn't really care to or she agreed with Starkit on everything that could get them into trouble.

"See?" Starkit meowed. "We all want to go!" Starkit was a white she cat with black splotches all over her pelt and sparkling blue eyes.

"So?" Maplekit shrugged. "We do too but we don't have a choice." Ah, no truer statement had ever been uttered by a cat.

"That's not fair!" Protested the kits. Ah, no statement had ever been uttered more often than this.

"Yes it is," Maplekit told them. "Because you want to know what's out there?"

"What?" The kits asked eagerly. Starkit looked up with hopeful eyes as if describing the forest could make it seem as though they were in it, fat chance.

"You really want to know?" She asked them, an evil glint in her eye.

"Yes! Tell us!" They squealed with excitement.

"Okay then," Maplekit meowed. "There are wicked foxes, who eat small kits! And badgers and twolegs and their stinking dogs! Not to mention monsters." She shuddered and nudged Whitekit.

"Wha- Oh yeah," He meowed in mock fear. "The monsters, they're terrible."

Starkit squeaked in fear. "We've changed our mind."

"Good," Maplekit meowed and winked at Whitekit. Whitekit rolled his eyes, but Maplekit could tell he looked pleased.

"My fur is tingling all over in excitement!" Sunkit squealed in excitement. She shivered. "I can't wait until Winterstar comes out of her den and makes us apprentices."

"Yeah!" Whitekit agreed.

I can, thought Maplekit. She and Riverkit had agreed not to tell the others their punishment. They would only be doing chores for half a moon, no patrol, probably no hunting, and maybe, if she was truly that evil, no fighting training. Riverkit just nodded along with the others, not saying anything. Maplekit did nothing. A brief silence fell over the group.

"Oh! I know!" Maplekit meowed. "We should play one last round of Catch The Leaf!" Suggested Maplekit excitedly.

"I know I'll beat you this time Maplekit!" Riverkit taunted his sister.

"No way!" She replied. The anticipation of competition made her skin tingle. She hadn't been in a good competition with her rival in quite sometime.

"Maybe we should just wait until we get a free moment when we are apprentices." Sunkit suggested. "It took hours to groom my fur this way."

Maplekit gave her a sister a disapproving look. Maplekit hated cats who fussed about their looks. Sure, an occasional washing was alright but to groom yourself several times each day, like some cats did, was a bit outrageous.

"I don't understand why you have fawn all over your fur all the time," Maplekit rolled her eyes at her sister.

"I do not fawn!" Protested Sunkit. "At least I take care of my fur. I can't say the same for everyone." She eyed Maplekit's unkempt fur.

"I do wash!" Maplekit told her annoying sister. She had washed earlier. "I just don't care that much for perfect fur."

"Oh shut-up!" Whitekit grumbled as he half heartedly batted at a leaf. "You two are almost as bad as Riverkit, you know?"

A silence fell upon them once more.

"I hope she comes out soon," Sunkit swished her orange tail to break the silence.

"I don't think you have to wait much longer," Maplekit meowed, straining her neck to see the entrance to Winterstar's den. She saw Winterstar coming out of it, with Willowlight close in toe. Winterstar stretched, said something to Willowlight then lifted her white mane into the air. Maplekit's heart stopped for a moment as she watched.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather by highledge for a clan meeting!"


	11. Apprentices At Last!

If she was going to be honest about it Maplepaw always had trouble remembering her apprentice ceremony. She, as the youngest kit, received her name and mentor last and before that she worried about who her mentor was going to be to listen to her littermates ceremonies.

She cheered, welcoming her littermates as apprentices and she remembered their mentors. Sunpaw, as a medicine cat in training, had received Willowlight as a mentor. Sunpaw was so excited she was shivering with excitement. Whitepaw received Owlleap which was a good match on Winterstar's part. Owlleap and Whitepaw were both lean and strong, big cats. Owlleap would be able to teach Whitepaw how to use his strength to his advantage. Riverpaw received Mistysky, a senior warrior who, just like in the case of Whitepaw and Owlleap, was a great match. Both were lean and fast and if anyone could handle Riverpaw it was Mistysky. Mistysky was known for her no nonsense personality and her blunt and straight to the point way of life. She could put any cat in their place with no trouble.

But, other than who the mentors were Maplepaw had very little memory of the ceremony. Maplepaw thought that, yes, it was rather selfish but, well, she had no defense. Guilty as charged.

She remembered her heart pounding when Winterstar called her name. She remembered fumbling up to her. She remembered tripping and everyone had a good laugh. Maplepaw had been highly embarrassed.

After Maplepaw had received her name the clan received the biggest shock of all.

"Crestfall," The gentle cat called. The tan tom who leaned against his mate looked up with blank eyes. They'd been like that for days. His leg wasn't healing like Willowlight thought it should and it was likely he would never be a warrior ever again. Crestfall did do anything but eat and sleep. His conversations were limited to basic answers to questions. He never started a conversation. He didn't look at any cat. Even Pearlheart couldn't stir life out of him. It was like clouds had covered the sun that had blazed in his eyes. He shut everyone out. Willowlight said he was in shock. Maplepaw thought he was sulking, in fact she was almost sure of it.

"Crestfall, come forward," Winterstar meowed in a gentle voice. The whole clan was quiet, all eyes on the tom. Pearlheart looked apprehensively at her mate. He made no movement. Pearlheart took a step forward and she did, Crestfall did too. The walk, or limp, took a while because every time Pearlheart stepped she had to shift her weight to support Crestfall, but finally, breathing hard from their efforts, the pair reached Winterstar.

"Crestfall, all the clan knows of your bravery, loyalty, selflessness, and compassion." A soft murmur of ascent came from the crowd. This was true. Crestfall was undeniably loyal to his clan and friends. He was brave and selfless as well. It turns out that during the attack he jumped in the way blocking Duckwing from serious harm but injuring his leg severely in the process. Crestfall had always been compassionate to every cat and kit he met. He was always kind to Maplepaw, Whitepaw, Sunpaw, and Riverpaw when they were kits.

"GOOOO CRESTFALL!" Came one loud meow from Owlleap, who was Crestfall's brother. Everyone chuckled at that, but Crestfall made no movement or even acknowledged he was being talked to. Yes, he was most definitely sulking.

"Crestfall, will you mentor Maplepaw?" Winterstar asked. For a moment everything was silent and quiet. Maplepaw was afraid he'd say no, then who would mentor her? Most of the cats probably wouldn't have the patience to even be around her let alone mentor her, but why would Winterstar choose a cat that would probably say no? Maplepaw glanced warily at Crestfall. The tan tom stood as if he was considering it.

Finally he looked up. "Yes," He said quietly. A collective sigh of relief arose from the cats. Maplepaw stepped forward and gave her new mentor a respectful lick. She swore she heard a soft purr rise in his chest.

"Maplepaw! Maplepaw!" The clan cheered their approval loudly. The cheers echoed throughout the camp ringing in Maplepaw's ears. Finally she was free of the nursery and .

"Alright," Winterstar breathed a sigh of relief. "It's getting late, and we've got a busy day tomorrow." She eyed the new apprentices. "You four off to the apprentice den!" And that was probably one of the best sentences Maplepaw had ever heard in her life.

"WE ARE APPRENTICES! WE ARE APPRRENTICES! WE ARE APPRENTICES!" They sang over and over again racing all over the apprentices den. How they had waited for this moment! Finally it had arrived! "WE ARE APPRENTICES!"

"Shut up will you?" Grumbled Bluffpaw as he rolled over in his moss nest.

Redpaw purred in amusement. "I seem to remember you doing the same thing, Bluffpaw." He pointed out.

"Well there wasn't any other cat trying to get some sleep!" Bluffpaw countered. "And there were only two of us. Not four."

"Don't be so grumpy!" Sunpaw meowed cheerily.

"Yeah!" Added Riverpaw as he bounded up to where Bluffpaw and Redpaw lay. "Don't be such a spoil sport. This is a night we've all been waiting for."

"Can you guys tone it down soon though?" Bluffpaw growled. "I'd like to grab some sleep for tomorrow."  
"Plus tomorrow is big day," Redpaw meowed. "First day of training, and I doubt we will teach grumpy sleep deprived apprentices to fight."

And just like Starkit, Olivekit, and Breezekit, the four of them immediately stopped what they were doing. The threat of not being taught to fight was enough to make any cat tow the line.

The four apprentices settled down in their nests. Maplepaw yawned. An early night did sound like a good idea. She had a big day tomorrow. Her first day as an apprentice. She fell asleep and dreamed of her new life as an apprentice.


	12. Willowlight The Sneaky!

**Hey guys! Sorry for not posting this as often as I used too, but I can't just sit around and write! I wish I could but legally I have to go to school soooo... ****And I am looking for a good beta reader to improve the quality of my chapters cause I barely have time to reread my chapters. I really feel bad because I want to give you guys my best works but right now I barely have time to write. Basically I put in like, a paragraph a day so it's slow going :D So basically I skimmed through the chapter after I wrote it so I might re-write later but I did want to post something today. **

* * *

Riverpaw could think of a thousand things he'd rather be doing other than fetching moss for Willowlight, but in the first morning of his apprenticeship there he was, returning with a grumpy Maplepaw with a jaw full of green moss. They were only allowed out of camp to fetch moss or to do other chores but no patrol and no hunting. So much for the freedom and adventure they'd been dreaming or since they were kits.

As they entered the den they saw Sunpaw and Willowlight. Sunpaw had a clump of leaves in her jaws and Willowlight was examining them carefully.

"This is raspberry, right?" Asked Sunpaw holding up a few leaves for Willowlight to see. Maplepaw and Riverpaw quietly went over to the area Willowlight had told them to deposit their load.

"Uh, no," Willowlight shifted uneasily. "That's borage, raspberry is this." Willowlight held up a spiky leaf for Sunpaw to see. The orange apprentice examined it closely.

"Oh," Sunpaw's face fell momentarily but then it lit right back up again. "I'll just have to try again!" She meowed with joy and raced out of the den. Willowlight chuckled and went to put the borage with her other herbs.

Riverpaw sighed. "At least she never gives up." He said as he stacked the moss gingerly so not to topple it over. Maplepaw giggled.

"Her only redeeming quality," Maplepaw whispered into Riverpaw's ear. Riverpaw snickered. They were just joking around but still, Sunpaw was quite annoying at times.

"Maplepaw, Riverpaw," Willowlight meowed from right behind the apprentices making them jump in surprise.

"Woah!" They meowed in surprise. They fell right into the moss pile toppling it over and spreading moss everywhere. Maplepaw shook flecks of green moss from her pelt. Riverpaw spat out the disgusting bits from his mouth and coughed up a few that he had inhaled when he'd fallen into the pile.

"Bleh," He coughed. Willowlight howled with laughter. Maplepaw growled at her but half way through the growl she began hacking up more moss and that only made Willowlight laugh harder and harder.

"I still got it!" She meowed triumphantly through a fit of laughter. "I bet you thought me only a medicine cat with no warrior skills at all but ha! I can sneak better than any cat!" She gloated then went back to laughing.

Willowlight pulled herself together and stopped laughing. She then looked from Riverpaw to Maplepaw. "Did you hear me sneaking up on you?" She asked her voice curious. "I bet you're wondering how I managed it if I spend all my time here. Think for a moment."

Come to think of it, Riverpaw didn't even remember Willowlight sneaking up behind them and he had to admit, he would have never thought a medicine cat could pull something like that off. They spent all there time in a den looking after sick cats, why would they have to know how to defend themselves? Then again, if a medicine cat was in a fight wouldn't make sense to kill him or her first? Then the clan couldn't heal themselves and the battle would practically be won right there! It would make sense for Medicine cats to be trained in battle at least to defend themselves.

"I see Maplepaw's got it." Willowlight meowed as she looked at the dawning comprehension on Maplepaw's face. "Do you have any idea why Riverpaw?" She asked him.

"Well," He began, unsure of how to put this. "In a fight, a medicine cat would be first to go because only they can heal their clan. So it would make sense that you know how to defend yourself I guess."

"Correct," Willowlight praised. "Now, why don't you clean this up and fetch me another mouthful and then I think it'll be time for some fighting practice of your own."

Riverpaw's spirits soared and he saw delight flare in Maplepaw's eyes. This was what they'd been waiting for! They hurriedly stacked the moss up and headed for the place where moss grew. They practically tripped over one another in their haste to fetch the moss.

They scrambled through the tunnel and raced up the den. Riverpaw was just about to enter the den when Maplepaw stopped him.

"He-" He tried to protest but she held her tail up to his mouth and tilted her ear to the entrance of the den. Riverpaw did the same.

"What brings you here today, Winterstar?" Came Willowlight's voice.

"Sore throat, and ThunderClan's new apprentices." Winterstar rasped. She didn't sound good at all.

"I can grab some honey for your throat." Willowlight meowed. "And what about the apprentices?"

"Mainly Riverpaw and Maplepaw." Winterstar rasped out. Riverpaw and Maplepaw glanced at each other.

"Do tell."

"Well, more Maplepaw than anything,"

Maplepaw blinked I surprise.

Winterstar continued on. "It's about Crestfall, I am worried that maybe I didn't chose the right mentor. He's hardly spoken ten words since the injury and I am not sure if he is ready for Maplepaw.

"But didn't you put them together because you thought she'd bring out the spark in Crestfall." Willowlight meowed. "Here drink this." Riverpaw heard the soft sounds of lapping.

"Yes," Winterstar croaked out. "But, I am not sure if he's ready,"

"We'll just have to wait for them to train together to find out. I sent them out to fetch moss and said they could go train when they got back." Willowlight meowed thoughtfuly. "In fact, I think I see two little shadows outside the den now."

Riverpaw and Maplepaw looked down in surprise. Sure enough, their shadows cast right in front of the mouth to the den. So apparently standing outside to eavesdrop wasn't as stealthy as they hoped it would be. They had no choice but to pad on in with their mouths still full of moss.

"Just put it over there," Willowlight meowed, pointing her tail over to the pile of moss. "Then you can go to the training hallow and-" But the rest of sentence was unheard by both Maplepaw and Riverpaw. As soon as the moss hit the pile they bolted out scurrying as fast as they could for the hallow.


	13. InterestingIndeed The Troll!

I got a review from a guest named 'the one' that said this:

'Alright.

Riverkit?

Fine.

Windkit?

Pushing it.

But Starkit?

You are just...

Name the thing Starglem already, sheesh.

Booooooooo!'

I was unsure as to whether or not this was for the names or the story. Let's assume it's the names! The reason I named Starkit, well, Starkit, was so later I could use her name to have characters poke fun at odd warrior names. Kind of like how Starstar would NOT work. The other reason would be because of her fascination with the stars and for the star shaped blob on her forehead and finally because of her role in the story. I was originally planning on making her warrior name Starlight but you know what? Stargleam is a great name! I love it! Thank you for suggesting it! I will consider using it! I am totally not trolling you right now!

**_And I also want to take this time to bring two special cats forward who have been supporting me this entire time: PrimroseButterfly and Cookie Platter! Please, go check these two wonderful people out!_**

Remember, don't be scared to leave reviews! There is something I can take away from all of them! :P

Happy Reading!

* * *

The leaffall sun was high in the clear blue sky, shining its rays on the camp. It warmed the pelt of the sunning elders and lit the camp for its playing kits. It was regrettably one of the last good days left and bit of morn full sorrow lingered in the air as if, it too, knew that soon it would no longer be warmed by the sun. If the sun knew it showed no signs of any mood change. It was just in the clear blue sky and not one cloud impeded it's light as it fell upon a pair of dashing apprentices.

Maplepaw practically bounded with excitement to the training hallow her brother Riverpaw right on her tail. They dashed through the camp making straight for the training hallow where they'd finally be doing the one thing they'd been waiting to do what seemed like all their lives: train to become warriors. They skidded to a halt, panting, exhausted yet exhilarated. Riverpaw actually collided with Maplepaw, causing Maplepaw to topple over herself. Normally, this would have been an occasion to throw some insults at her brother's clumsiness, but Maplepaw was too excited to say much of anything and too winded to even try.

Whitepaw was already in the hallow, training with his mentor Owlleap. "What are you guys doing?" Whitepaw asked. He and Owlleap stared at the pair. "I thought Willowlight told you two you were helping her out today," His meow was almost grudgingly edgy, like he didn't want to train with his siblings. Whitepaw's tail swished like it always did when he was disappointed or unpleased.

Now that Maplepaw thought of it, Whitepaw had a lot of actions he did that made it easy to read his mood. Besides the tail swish, he also twitched his ears when he was interested. He would gingerly pick up his left paw when excited. When he was angry his tail would whip in all directions. When he was amused, his whiskers would twitch.

"We were," Riverpaw meowed breathlessly, interrupting Maplepaw's thoughts. "But she told us to come here and train for a bit. Wait, where's Mistysky?" The red pelted apprentice swiveled his head rapidly in all directions searching for his mentor. In his desperate quest to find her, he even stood up on his hind-legs, only to lose his balance and fall over backwards into the dusty ground with a thump. Maplepaw held back a snicker, barely. Whitepaw's whiskers twitched. Owlleap lip curled up in an amused fashion. Riverpaw looked completely thunderstruck.

"We're over here, Riverpaw, Maplepaw," Came a rough commanding meow. All cats turned their heads to see Mistysky, Winterstar, and Crestfall, supported by Pearlheart. "Winterstar told us we're going to start your training today," Mistysky padded into the hallow in a commanding fashion, her head held high, her tail pulled up, the picture of confidence.

Riverpaw sheepishly scrambled to his paws, hastily shaking dirt from his pelt and tried to pretend nothing happened.

Pearlheart, who supported her mate suppressed an amused laugh. Crestfall made no movement or reaction. He stared blankly at the ground, lie nothing had happened at all.

"Well," Winterstar meowed. "I think the time has come to begin training. Mistysky and Riverpaw," The pair turned their attention to Winterstar. "You two can go off on your own, I'd like to speak with Crestfall and Maplepaw privately,"

For a moment there was silence, then Mistysky shrugged. "Come on Riverpaw," She meowed, using her long furry tail to herd Riverpaw away from the others. "I bet if we start now you can have a quick fight with your brother before sunset."

"I dunno," Riverpaw hesitated. He shifted his weight on his paws. "He's much bigger than I am, I don't think I could win."

"Well you certainly can't win that attitude!" Mistysky meowed. "I bet you and your speedy moves can outmaneuver any cat!"

"Really?" Riverpaw looked hopeful. "You think so?"

"Absolutely!" Mistysky swished her long red tail. "I've seen you race your littermates, you're quite the speedy cat! And if you say you're brother is bigger than you, we got a lot of work to do then. Right?"

"Yeah!" Cried Riverpaw excitedly and bounded after Mistysky excitedly, yapping a million miles a minute.

Maplepaw turned her attention to Winterstar.  
"Pearlheart,"  
The silvery white she cat looked up. "Yes?"

"Would you mind going back to your Warrior duties?" Winterstar said after noticing the look on Pearlheart's face. "I know you must be worried about Crestfall but I think we can trust Maplepaw to help out Crestfall right?"

"But-" Pearlheart protested but one look form Winterstar told her it would be easier to just do as she was told.  
"I know your sister has been wanting to hunt with you for a long time." Winterstar meowed. Winterstar's eyes danced merrily with amusement as she looked at Pearlheart. Maplepaw felt a small pang of sadness for the beautiful white gray she-cat. After all, Crestfall was injured, and being a jerk butt, and Pearlheart didn't want to leave him.

Then in a raspy voice that made every cat jump in surprise Crestfall spoke. "Go," His voice was horse from disuse. Maplepaw winced at the scratchy throaty sound. She wondered how much that must hurt poor Crestfall. "I'll be fine, I promise."

Pearlheart looked from her mate to Winterstar and back again. Winterstar's eyes glowed with pride but Crestfall's were filled with longing to train. Maplepaw thought, if even for a fleeting moment, she saw a new spark in his eyes. Pearlheart sighed.

"Alright," She meowed reluctantly. Maplepaw rushed forward to support her mentor. Pearlheart flexed her muscles before giving the three one last look and disappearing into the trees.

Winterstar turned her attention to mentor and apprentice. "If you guys need anything you know where to go right?"  
Maplepaw nodded eagerly. "We know!" She exclaimed. If she hadn't been supporting her mentor she probably would have started bouncing with joy. Winterstar purred in amusement.

"Then I guess I can leave you two to train in peace." Winterstar turned and left the clearing, her fluffy white tail swishing behind her.

For a moment there was silence. A soft wind ruffled Maplepaw's fur. She could literally feel the short time she would have with her mentor slipping away like a slippery leaf through her jaws. She needed to find a way to break the silence, but how...

"So," Maplepaw meowed awkwardly. "What do we do now?"


	14. The Sun

So sorry for jumping around with the narrators. I just really wanted to have Maplepaw tell the last chapter for stories sake! Plus I really kind of hated having a uniformed order. I really wanted certain cats to narrate certain chapters but could because of my stupid order. Do you guys prefer an order for narrators? Would you guys mind if I jumped around with the narrators?

Also I apologize for putting this chapter up so late. In my defense I put a story about Tigerstar becoming Santa Claus and got caught up writing that, but now I am trying to get back into writing this more.

Keep it Interesting!

-InterestingIndeed

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Sunpaw fumbled with the herbs. Which one was coltsfoot again? Willowlight had just went over the herbs with her a few moments ago! How could she not know anything? No that was wrong, she knew marigold had golden petals, but every cat knew that. Shouldn't she know everything by now? The more she racked her brains for the answer the more confused she got. It was like someone was clawing her brain over and over and over again. A sense of hopelessness fell over her. Why did she think she could ever be a medicine cat? She was such a klutz! She should have been a warrior. At least as a warrior if she messed up it would only affect her and not the entire clan.

"Need help?" A gentle voice startled Sunpaw and she dropped the herbs she had been sorting, or trying to sort anyway. It was Willowlight. She picked up the leaves Sunpaw had dropped.

"Umm," Sunpaw scrambled for a response. If she said yes she would sound like a bad apprentice! "I think I'm fine thanks!" She meowed cheerfully hoping to disguise the nervousness in her voice. But even she could hear the wobbling uncertainty hidden in the meow. Why did she have to be such a bad liar?

"It's okay to ask for help," Chuckled Willowlight softly. "It's your first day after all, I'd be worried if you didn't ask for help." Willowlight gathered up a bundle of herbs, piling them up for sorting. "Besides, it's obvious you need it. You're a complete mess!" The tone she used wasn't mad or angry, but more of amusement.

"Oh," Sunpaw mumbled. Now she felt a little foolish. "I guess I do need help."

"Right," Willowlight meowed. "What is this leaf?" She held up a green leaf for Sunpaw to examine. Sunpaw sniffed it. It smelled tangy and of damp earth, but other than that it looked like everything else, green and leafy.

"I have no idea," Sunpaw squeaked truthfully. Secretly she scolded herself. How could she not know? Why couldn't she get anything right?

"It's ok if you don't know," Willowlight softly meowed. She touched the tip of Sunpaw's tail with her own in a sign of affection for her apprentice. "You're only here to sort them, right?"

"I guess," Sunpaw meowed dully. "But I don't which leaf goes with which stack,"

"But can you tell the difference between this leaf and every other leaf in the stack?" Willowlight asked. Her eye sparkled with amusement.

"Duh," Sunpaw sighed. "That one has a tangier smell than the others."

"Then sort them by what they smell like." Willowlight meowed cheerfully. "You don't have to put a name on every leaf just yet, sort them by types. Put the tangy leaves like this one in one pile, put the bittersweet leaves in another pile."

Sunpaw thought about it. Why didn't she think of that herself? It was so simple, it was genius.

"I get it!" She squeaked loudly! A new sense of hope replaced her hopelessness. She felt reinvigorated and began doing what once was a dull task with renewed spirit. She became completely absorbed in her own task. Time seemed to lose it's meaning. Everything seemed to loose meaning. All there was to sort these leaves. She zoned the world out around her to focus completely on her task. She didn't notice when Willowlight left her to her task and it wasn't until Maplepaw nudged her did she realize how much time had passed.

"Come on you furball," Her sister meowed and nudge Sunpaw with her nose.

Sunpaw dropped her leaf in surprise. "Maplepaw?" She asked.

"Yeah, whatever," Her sister rolled her eyes. "Let's grab some grub, Riverpaw and Whitepaw are waiting for us."

"But what about my task…" She trailed off on the last word. There was only one last leaf to sort: the one she had dropped when Maplepaw had nudged her.

"All done with sorting the herbs I see," Willowlight meowed from across the den. She was pulling a thorn out of Redpaw's paw. "Go join your littermates for some food. Would you mind grabbing a mouse or a vole for me?"

"Sure!" Sunpaw chirpped excited and dash ahead of her sister out of the den.

She'd been in the dim den for so long the sunlight blinded her for a moment. She blinked at it's overwhelming brightness. For a moment she was transfixed by it. She began to ponder how the sun came to be. The sky was StarClan, at night you could see the warriors who had fallen, but in he day they were outshone by one giant warrior. Maybe the sun was the center of StarClan, and during the day all the warriors congregated for a meeting, like the clans did at night during a full moon. Then what was the moon?

Her sister padded out from the den.  
"Would you stop staring at the sun?" Maplepaw growled, interrupting Sunpaw's thoughts. "It's really embarrassing."

"How is it embarrassing?" Sunpaw asked.

"Because only kits stare at the sun," Maplepaw meowed dryly and padded past Sunpaw in a sort of lofty manner. "We're apprentices now."

Sunpaw decided to ignore her sister's loftiness. If she wanted to look at the sun it was none of Maplepaw's business!

* * *

Yay I wrote it! I hope you enjoyed it! I am trying to get back into the swing of posting so…

Review! Tell me what you loved! Tell me what you didn't like!


	15. Under A Painted Sky

Yay! No one cares if I mess around with narrators! That's good for what I have planned so stick around! I hope you guys are enjoying my return!

* * *

The orange sun painted the blue a soft pink as it fell down. The horizon was waiting to welcome it for another night. Clouds dotted the sky like paintbrush strokes, white with hints of pinks and purple, like the sun hadn't cleaned its brush thoroughly enough before switching colors. The soft glow of dusk cast its fading light on the camp as its inhabitants went about their business as usual. Some were having last meals before settling down for the night. Others were grooming their mates or their kits. Some were organizing dusk patrol.

Whitepaw chewed his mouse slowly so he could savor the sweet warm taste. He watched the goings on of the clan. Beside him his brother Riverpaw was devouring a vole rapidly like this might be his last meal. Sunpaw was chatting excitedly about her new job as a medicine cat apprentice.

"It's so cool!" She meowed excitedly. "I get to tend to the herb garden and Willowlight says she's going take me herb gathering later."  
"Would you shove a mouse in your hole? You're chattering like a blue jay!" Maplepaw meowed harshly. "Maybe we want to talk about our day too!"

"Sorry!" Sunpaw squeaked and began eating a mouse hurriedly.

"Not like we did anything interesting," Riverpaw meowed through a mouthful of half chewed vole. "Sorted herbs, then had some training. Mistysky is a cool mentor though."

"Owlleap Is funny," Whitepaw commented. "I think I'll enjoy my apprenticeship." Owlleap was not only kind but patient. When it took Whitepaw what felt like an entire moon to learn the belly rake move Owlleap had been patient and never got cross with Whitepaw. Owlleap reassures Whitepaw that lot's of apprentices had trouble learning at first.

"It's when it's been a few moons," Owlleap had meowed. "That's when we have a problem."

"Crestfall's awesome!" Maplepaw meowed excitedly. He explained the moves and I had to practice them without a partner because obviously he can't do it and he said I was amazing and he said that when he get's better we can have a practice fight and also that he'll show me all the best hunting spots on patrols and where you can find the biggest squirrels and the best tasting mice and how to catch rabbits and-"

"Well who's chattering like a blue jay now?" Whitepaw meowed smugly at his sister. She stopped dead and began eating her vole with sudden interest. Riverpaw, Whitepaw, and Sunpaw all had a good chuckle.

"Look!" Squealed a kit. The four apprentices turned to see their 11 former den mates dashing, or in the newest additions wobbling, towards them. Amberkit and Snowkit, the inseparable duo of sisters crashed into each other as they raced for the apprentices. Snowkit was pure white with silver markings on her face. Splashkit led his 2 other brothers, Pokekit and Quietkit over rocks and through puddles. Starkit, not to be outdone, was leading her littermates and was right on his was one of the smallest of the group and lagged behind considerably. Blueberrykit took pity on him and grabbed his scruff and hoisted him to catch up with the rest of the group. As he passed his charging littermates he waved his paws and squealed "SUCKA!"

A few of his littermates squealed in protest.

"No fair!"  
"Why can't I be carried?"

Predictably, Graykit was plopped down in first place.

"Ha ha!" He gloated as the others arrived all out of breath from actually running. "I beat you! I beat you!" Graykit excitedly bragged.

"It doesn't count because you had help!" Starkit protested loudly. "Amberkit and Snow kit should've won!"  
"Yeah because 2 sisters stuck together with sap is a recipe for a winning duo." Amberkit meowed sarcastically. "We were just trying to get up here as it is."

"Yeah, I can't believe we ran into that maple tree." Snowkit meowed as she struggled to pull herself free.

"Yeah," Amberkit added. "And of all the cats it could have been it had to be you!" Her tone was of mock annoyance but their hints of happiness and both kits stifled their giggles.

"Here!" Sunpaw bounced, quite literally bounced, forward to the pair and with a swift bite of her jaws she cut apart the sticky substance and the 2 kits were free.

"Thanks Sunpaw!" Snowkit exclaimed.

"You're the best!" Cheered Amberkit.

"No problem!" Sunpaw beamed. The small act of helping some cat out, even in a small way, filled Sunpaw to the brim with happiness. Whitepaw knew she'd make an excellent medicine cat. One of the best qualities a medicine cat required was the ability to be willing to help his her clan no matter how large or how small the job was. Sunpaw had always possessed that in her.

"So what did you guys come up here for?" Sunpaw asked.

"Well I don't know about them but I came for dinner." Lemonkit meowed. She padded over to the freshkill pile and grabbed a mouse then padded over to Whitepaw. Her shoulder brushed up his. Whitepaw wasn't sure if it was on purpose or an accident but those few seconds of contact made Whitepaw's pelt shiver with excitement. He'd never taken much notice of Lemonkit before. Though she wasn't full grown Whitepaw could tell she was going to be quite the she cat. Her tan fur seemed to be orange in the fading sunlight. He suddenly felt very self conscious sitting next to her. What if he did something weird like sneezing? Then what would she think of him?

"Why are you staring at me?" Lemonkit asked, her expression accusing almost. Whitepaw felt his face grow hot like a greenleaf day. He looked away quickly and cleared his throat hastily.

"So what's new with you guys?" He managed.

* * *

Chapter 14? Complete. Now to go write number 15! Yay!

Keep it Interesting!

-InterestingIndeed


	16. A Stolen Dream

Just realized I switched some names around. Pokekit is Windkit and Quietkit is Sparrowkit. Sorry about the confusion!

I made a super long chapter for you guys. My usual chapters are at least 1000 words. Normally they're 1000-1200 and this one is around 2,000 words! Two chapters in one! You guys better thank me, I spent all of spanish and half algebra editing and writing it but please don't use me as a role model! Pay attention in school! Don't spend all your time reading fan fiction! I don't want any of you guys blaming me for flunking a class because you were reading fan fiction instead of paying attention!

Keep it Interesting!

-InterestingIndeed

* * *

Riverpaw hated sleeping. Well, not all forms of sleeping, just some. The part where you didn't think or feel and time seemed to fly by was ok, but the being still and quiet part was not so ok with Riverpaw. He wished you didn't have to lie there so long. His mind was always racing with thoughts. For some reason when his body was trying to rest his mind seemed to become suddenly aware of the days events and decided now was the time to reflect on them. Finally when he ran out of thoughts to think and his mind went blank his body would twitch. He would just being lying there trying not to move his body and he could feel himself falling asleep when his tail would twitch or a leg spasm and then he'd have to start the process all over again.

When finally he did get to sleep he would have dreams and that was like staying awake. None of his dreams ever made sense. Most of the time they included running. Running in itself was okay except in the morning his legs felt kid of sore like he actually had been running all night though usually the soreness faded by Sunhigh. Sometimes in his dreams he could feel his heart pounding and racing and a fluttering feeling would start in his chest and his breathing would speed up just like the time a hawk had circled the camp and had descended on him. He had stood there stupidly, petrified by the sight of this massive avian creature with it's large sharp claws open wide to grasp him up. He'd forgotten to run. It was like forgetting your own name. Something you've done all your life forgotten in an instant. He would've been scooped up by the hawk if it wasn't for Winterstar jumping in the way and slashing at the beast hissing and spitting furiously and by some miracle scared the bird off. In his dreams he felt exactly like that moment, fear coursing through his body. Except he had no idea why. He was running from something, but what? Sometimes his dreams he was racing across plains of grass feeling the grass tickle the pads of his paws and his fur electric with excitement and anticipation.

Tonight he couldn't fall asleep let alone dream. Maybe that was good. His body was sore from learning how to duck under paws and lunge at opponents. His body had been made to twist in ways it was not used to. His muscles felt like Maplepaw had been stomping on them with her claws out and slashing his hide. In other words, it hurt, a lot. Finding a comfortable position seemed impossible. He would lie with back on the cool earth which provided some comfort for its sore muscles, but then the earth would grow too hot and he'd have to find a new patch of ground, cooler than the last. He also felt extremely vulnerable with his belly exposed to the open air and so he kept his eyes open. He knew some cats slept like this. Once he'd woken up to see his mother sleeping like this and it scared the dirt right out of him!

He continues to roll and find better positions for his back until he rolled right into Maplepaw. Riverpaw shot up like bird though his back immediately regretted it. Pain flared up his spine as he cursed himself under his breath.

"What in StarClan's name are you doing?" Hissed Maplepaw as she stared up at him furiously. Riverpaw knew he was crowfood. No one woke up Maplepaw. Not unless you wanted to feel her wrath, or her claws.

"Well, I, uh," Riverpaw stammered for an explanation. There was no way out of this, he'd have to tell the truth. "Well, you see, I was awakened by a yowl! I thought it might be an enemy so I came to wake you up so we could go and fight them off together and save the clan!" He realized he'd been waving his paws around ridiculously and Maplepaw didn't look convinced.

"That is ridiculous," Maplepaw meowed dryly.

"Well it's true!" Riverpaw lied throwing his paws up in the air in exasperation. "Ow!" His back gave a jolt of pain. It did not agree with that movement at all. He must have exclaimed louder than he meant to because Redpaw opened his eyes sleepily.

"What's goin' on?" He slurred. "Is it Sunup yet? Am I on dawn patrol this morning?"

"It's nothing Redpaw," Maplepaw sighed. "Go back to sleep."

"Okay," Redpaw yawned and slumped back down and began snoring. For a few moments no cat said anything not wanting to risk another at waking up.

"Got to be more careful," Riverpaw hissed to Maplepaw. "We'll probably never become warriors if we wake the entire clan."

"Your back is sore," Maplepaw meowed with dawning comprehension. Her lips curled into an amused experession. "You threw out your back, didn't you?"

"What?" Riverpaw meowed. "Nope! My back is perfectly-ow!- fine!"

Maplepaw eyed him, then sighed and got to her paws. "Come this way," She padded out of the apprentice's den. Riverpaw didn't move. She looked back and swished her tail indignantly. "Do you want a pain free back or not?" She meowed exasperatedly. Riverpaw fought with himself.

Come on, don't be such a kit!

But Maplepaw is evil!

Your back feels like someone's clawed it to death! Anything she does can't possibly make it feel worse. It might make it feel better.

But-

BUTTS ARE FOR TWOLEGS!  
His painful back won out over his reluctance and he followed his sister out of the den.

"Why did you take me to the stream?" Riverpaw asked. Maplepaw gracefully leapt down the rocks. Riverpaw, hindered by his back, fell down the rocks.

"You'll see." Maplepaw looked back to see her brother slip once more across the rocks. She rolled her eyes. "You're acting like a newborn kit instead of an apprentice! Come on!"

"Well you have a working back!" Riverpaw protested loudly.

"Darn tootin I do!" Maplepaw meowed loudly. "When you leap down this cliff daily you get a pretty strong back!" She laughed and leapt down more of the rocks waving her tail teasingly. Riverpaw bit back a sharp retort and followed.

Finally after much climbing, and in Riverpaw's case, falling, they reached the lower part of the stream. The stream had apparently slowly worn its way into the rock from the lake. It was a fairly new discovery kept secret by ThunderClan. Riverpaw had once heard Featherwish talking about when they discovered it and how they'd sent explorers to investigate it. They'd decided to keep it a secret and use it only sparingly. For example, water for elders, or for very sick cats. So every cat else had to use regular lake water.

"Do you know why I brought you here?" Maplepaw asked. The night wind blew across the water making ripples in it's clear surface.

"To drown me so no one would know?" Riverpaw responded nervously.

"No," Maplepaw meowed. She pulled some moss off of a nearby rock. "Come here, face your back to me."

Riverpaw reluctantly turned his back on Maplepaw. He heard something break the surface of the water then he felt something cool and soft being placed on his back. Sweet cool relief swept through his back as the cool water ran down it. Despite himself he let out a sigh of relief.

Maplepaw chuckled. "Better?"

Riverpaw nodded. "Thanks."

"Do you know why water is so cold?" Maplepaw asked.

"No," Riverpaw mumbled.

"Not many do." Maplepaw told him. "The stream runs underground so it stays cool and this place is heavily shaded so the water is always cool and fresh."

"Oh," Riverpaw murmured. He'd never really listened to anything older cats said before so he was lacking in the history department. Maplepaw had always paid close attention. Maybe he should've done that.

Maplepaw began to gently sponge his back with cool water and the moss. The way she did it with surprising care and warmth surprised Riverpaw. Why would his rough and tumble sister who was always in a bad mood take such care for the brother she hated?

"Why are you being so nice to me?" Asked Riverpaw. "Especially after how I treat you."

"Because as I much as I hate your guts," Maplepaw sighed. "I don't like seeing any cat in pain. It's disturbing."

It suddenly occurred to him how selfless Maplepaw was being. She was willing to put aside her own hatred to help out her brother whom she hated.

"Are you going to become a medicine cat?" Riverpaw asked. "Or are you going to let Sunpaw do it?"

"I don't know," Maplepaw replied. "For the longest time I wanted to be a medicine cat. I always loved helping out Willowlight and I loved the feeling I go after I helped some one, but I also didn't want to be chained to the camp."

"You always said you felt free there," Riverpaw meowed recalling a scene from their time as kits.

"I felt free to be myself and express my opinions." Maplepaw restated. "But I want more." For a moment Maplepaw worked in silence. The only noise was the moss breaking the water's surface as she dipped down to retrieve more water for his back and the usual night sounds. Riverpaw was lulled into a daze.

"I was going to tell Willowlight I wanted to become a medicine cat." Maplepaw said startling Riverpaw. "But then I saw Sunpaw taking over my job." That was right, Sunpaw had started helping out Willowlight.

"I saw how more cats were willing to talk to her and have her treat them and I figured the clan would be much better off without me, the grumpy medicine cat wannabe." Maplepaw's voice became hard. "As much as I love Sunpaw, there's no way I can forgive her for stealing my dream." Her voice became as cold as the water in the stream.

"Oh," Riverpaw's voice faltered. "I would feel the same way," Riverpaw meowed slowly. "I wish I could give you back your dream."

"Not even StarClan can do that." Maplepaw growled.

"I'm sorry I teased you so harshly." Riverpaw meowed surprising himself at the apology. "You didn't deserve it." Now thinking back at all those times he teased her she rarely started it. He'd been the one picking the fights. He'd always told himself she was the rude one, he was only doing this in retaliation. Now he saw how wrong he was and it almost broke his heart.

"Yeah well," Maplepaw growled. "Life doesn't give you what you deserve either sometimes."

I'm getting stuff done! :D

Next chapter won't be released until either 11/23/14 or 11/24/14 depending on life. I am pretty busy this weekend and I won't have access to a computer so please be patient!

Keep it interesting!  
-InterestingIndeed


	17. Mentor and Apprentice!

Well I just read Starkit's Prophecy.

DAAAAAANNNNNGGGGGG

HOLY SON OF A TIGERSTAR

D:

It made me start thinking about my own story. Is it a Mary Sue? Cause I would die if I found out one of my characters was a Susie.

* * *

"Right," Crestfall meowed. "Today I am going to have Bluffpaw show you some of the battle moves." The sun was blindingly bright as it shone down into the battle hallow. Maplepaw sat at attention, tail swishing in excitement, eager to learn. Bluffpaw sat by Crestfall. Crestfall had limped into the clearing by himself today and refused Bluffpaw and Maplepaw's help. His legs were wobbly from disuse and from his wounds, which weren't completely healed. It took a while but Crestfall made it into the clearing.

Crestfall seemed like a completely different cat. Over the past few days he'd brightened and became attentive. Not only did he work with Maplepaw for training, he also worked with her when Maplepaw went to Featherwish to learn how to be a medicine cat. Willowlight wasn't sure if having Sunpaw and Maplepaw train together was a good idea. What if Sunpaw thought Willowlight was playing favorites or something? What if they had a fight and with Maplepaw that was bound to happen. Plus, Maplepaw, having spent most of her early years in the Medicine Cat's den, knew a lot about herbs already and Willowlight had no time to teach Maplepaw the more complex stuff. So Willowlight turned to the only cat who knew more than she did about medicine; Featherwish. The blind former medicine cat knew more than just herbs. She knew other forgotten arts of medicine. She was teaching Maplepaw how to rehabilitate injured cats.

"When an injury occurs, the muscles and bones are often weakened even after it has healed." Featherwish explained gently. "To regain strength, you must work the muscles so they can build up endurance and flexibility." Fortunately, Crestfall's injury gave Maplepaw a perfect chance to practice her skills. It was harder than it sounded. Not only did Maplepaw have to know how to work the muscles, she had to know which muscle was which and how they worked to support the body. All that memorization was hard but worth it to see Crestfall able to walk and have independence once more.

As a ray of sun hit the tom's face Maplepaw saw how quickly Crestfall had turned from a gloomy, lifeless cat to a vibrant mentor eager to give his knowledge to his new student. Now that he had independence again, Crestfall was happier and livelier.

"Bluffpaw," Crestfall meowed. Bluffpaw looked up from grooming one if his paws. "Would you mind demonstrating side roll?"

"No problem,' Bluffpaw meowed obviously a bit bored by going back to the basics.

"Now, Maplepaw," Crestfall instructed his apprentice. "Attack Bluffpaw."

"Are you nuts?!" Yowled Maplepaw. Bluffpaw was older, stronger, fitter, and had way more experience than Maplepaw. "He'd rip me to shreds!"

"What?! No he won't!" Crestfall meowed.

"I don't know," Bluffpaw examined his gleaming claws. "It's really tempting."

"It is if you want to clean up the dirt place," Crestfall snapped at Bluffpaw. Bluffpaw's eyes widened and he winced.

"My eyes have seen what can't be unseen!" He yowled in mock disgust and made exaggerated gagging sounds for the amusement of Maplepaw and Crestfall.

"Okay, now seriously," Crestfall managed through his laughter. "Don't use your claws, both of you, and Maplepaw attack."

Maplepaw lunged for Bluffpaw who made no effort to dodge. She quickly pinned him down as he rolled over to expose his belly. She lifted her paw to scratch, or in this case, bat his belly since the use of claws was banned when Bluffpaw rolled to the side into Maplepaw's left paw that she toppled over. By forcing the leg out from under Maplepaw Bluffpaw had not only temporarily handicapped his enemy but also gave him a chance to go free.

"Well down Bluffpaw," Crestfall praised Bluffpaw.  
"Well I try," Bluffpaw simpered and went back to grooming his paws.

Maplepaw got to her paws still trying to understand what had just happened. How had he gotten free?

"Now Maplepaw, did you see what he did?" Crestfall asked.

"Yes," Maplepaw lied but after seeing Crestfall's eyebrows raise she sighed. "No, I did not."

Crestfall chuckled a little. "He rolled into your supporting paw with enough force to knock you over. When you're raising your front paw to strike you're leaving your body unbalanced and open. That makes just a little bit easier to just barrel right over."  
"Oh," Maplepaw meowed. It made sense. To take advantage of an unbalanced position was smart if you wanted to avoid attack. "I get it."

"Okay," Crestfall meowed. "Bluffpaw, now you attack Maplepaw."  
"With pleasure," Bluffpaw meowed then lunged. Maplepaw let herself be tackled and pinned down as easily as a fallen leaf. She waited until Bluffpaw raised a paw then with all the force she could muster she rammed her body into Bluffpaw's exposed paw. Bluffpaw rocked a little bit but stayed firm.

"Uh, try again," Suggested Crestfall.

Maplepaw hurled herself against Bluffpaw's leg, but again he stayed standing.

"That legitimately feels like a breeze." Bluffpaw meowed. He turned to Crestfall. "He body frame isn't strong enough to barrel me over."

Maplepaw fumed. She was strong! All her life she'd been told she was the runt, the littlest, the weakest. She hated feeling useless and weak. He body wasn't strong like Whitepaw's, nor was slender like Sunpaw's, nor was it as supple as Riverpaw's and even though she knew it was just a note on how her body was built she just couldn't stand Bluffpaw's comment. "Oh yeah?" She challenged and with her back legs she kicked Bluffpaw squarely in the chest with so much force he was lifted off his feet and into the air a few inches and was thrown off Maplepaw. Maplepaw scurried to her paws out of breath and panting. Bluffpaw, only a few pawsteps away lay dazed and confused.

"Maplepaw," Crestfall meowed in shock. "That was, that was excellent!" -Author's note: Because violence is always excellent :P-

"It was?" Maplepaw blinked in surprise. She'd just been so mad at feeling like her body wasn't what it should be that she'd thrown Bluffpaw in anger.

"Yes!" Praised Crestfall. He limped slowly over to Maplepaw. "You may not have strength in your body but your certainly have some strong legs!" He joined his apprentice's side and gave her an affectionate bump. "Well done." Maplepaw basked in Crestfall's praise and for a moment it was just mentor and apprentice, standing in united triumph of a new breakthrough.

"Ughhhhhh," Groaned Bluffpaw in pain interrupting their silence. That was when Maplepaw saw the rock Bluffpaw had collided with.

"Errr, we should get him to Willowlight." She meowed.

"Oh," Crestfall mumbled. "Right."

* * *

I was listening to music and writing and without realizing it I was shimmying/shaking my shoulders to the beat of the music and everyone was staring at me because I go to a catholic school and I was in Theology class and let's just say they aren't used to people shimmying in Theology class.

Keep it Interesting!  
InterestingIndeed


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